NC: Democrat Heath Shuler to Face Independent Challenger from the Left

From the Smoky Mountain News:

A liberal Asheville city council member announced this week he’d run as an Independent in 2012 against U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, potentially eroding Shuler’s Democratic base and making for a tough re-election bid for the three-term congressman.

A former editor for the Asheville-based newspaper Mountain Xpress, Cecil Bothwell acknowledged he has an uphill battle . . . .

to even get on the ballot as an Independent, Bothwell must by Jan. 1, 2012, garner enough voter signatures to equal 4 percent of the total number of registered voters in the 15-county congressional district — about 20,000 signatures. Then, to win, he must battle an experienced candidate with the ability to raise plenty of money to fund his re-election efforts against Shuler, who’s war chest will easily top $1 million by the time campaign season starts.

In response to the article, Bothwell has apparently responded, writing:

 I take exception to the headline that characterizes me as a "far-left liberal."

I want to reign in the Wall street crooks who have beggared those of us in the American working class. I believe we should impose the 40 percent tariff on imports that we had for 200 years before NAFTA and bring jobs back to America. I say we should end the failed war on drugs and invest in education and treatment instead of prisons. I believe it's time to stop spending money on wars of choice and spend money rebuilding America.

NC: Opponents of Two-Party State Make Push to Open Ballot

From WRAL:

A coalition of electoral reform groups wants to open voting choices beyond the two-party system in North Carolina. Republican State Rep. Stephen LaRoque of Lenoir County said Tuesday he plans to introduce legislation reducing the number of signatures an independent candidate or a third party would have to collect to appear on Election Day ballots. The state's threshold for a third party is one of the highest in the country. . . .

NC: Libertarian Party Condemns FBI Raids on Anti-War Activists

Via the Committee to Stop FBI Repression:

The Libertarian Party of North Carolina condemns the September 24, 2010, raids by the FBI on the homes of 14 anti-war activists in Minneapolis and other cities and the issuing of Grand Jury subpoenas to the targeted activists. The right to speak is one of the fundamental human rights recognized by the First Amendment to the Constitution. It is now clear that these raids were simply intended to intimidate those who speak against the foreign wars that our country is currently pursuing, and constitute a "fishing expedition" wherein the Department of Justice is using these Grand Jury subpoenas in an effort to discover or create actions or statements that will justify continued prosecution of these activists. We call on Attorney General Eric Holder, President Barack Obama, Congress, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to cease and desist from using Grand Jury subpoenas to intimidate people who are merely exercising their First Amendment rights, to immediately return all of confiscated items that were seized during these raids, and to pay for any required home repairs or damage done to confiscated items while in FBI custody.

NC-Senate: Libertarian Beitler Reaches Out to the Disenfranchised

From the Rocky Mount Telegram:

Mike Beitler was once so frustrated with politics he didn’t bother voting for several years over the past decade. But the professor at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro business school found motivation within the Libertarian Party and a bid as its U.S. Senate candidate. He hopes now to turn what had been his own discontent into momentum to attract other citizens who feel neither major party has fixed problems in Washington.

“We’re going to get the votes of a lot of frustrated people,” Beitler said in a recent interview. “The Bush administration over here doubled the national debt, now we swing over here to Obama. He’s put the pedal to the metal. And now we’ll swing back to the Republicans? Why would you do that?”

NC: Judge Supports Democrat-Republican Hostage Situation on Ballot

From Brian Irving at Nolan Chart:

A U.S. District Court has upheld the North Carolina election law setting the signature requirements for an independent candidate to get on the ballot for the U.S. House. Judge Graham C. Mullen denied a request for summary judgment by Bryan Greene, who sought to have the statute ruled unconstitutional.

Greene argued that requiring an independent candidate to collect signatures from four percent of the registered voters in the district is unduly restrictive and discriminates against independent candidates because the number of signatures need varies from district to district.

NC: Libertarian Polling 10% in US Senate Race

From PPP:

Burr's [R] at 38% to 33% for Marshall [D] and a surprising 10% for Libertarian Michael Beitler. Beitler's running basically even with Burr and Marshall among independents, getting 26% to 29% for the Democratic challenger and 27% for the Republican incumbent. Contrary to conventional wisdom about where Libertarian candidates get their support from Beitler is actually pulling 7% of Democrats to just 4% of Republicans.

NC: Libertarian Drawing Support from Across the Political Spectrum

From the Libertarian Party blog:

Survey USA recently published results of a poll of the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina. Libertarian Mike Beitler polled at 6 percent. Broken down by ideology, Beitler's support was strongest among liberals. Broken down by party affiliation, his support was strongest among independents.

Support by ideology:
Liberals: 8%
Moderates: 6%
Conservatives: 4%

Support by party affiliation:
Independents: 12%
Republicans: 4%
Democrats: 3%

NC: Libertarian Candidate for Senate to Participate in Debate

From Brian Irving at the Examiner:

In what may be a first for North Carolina politics, the first debate of the 2010 U.S. Senate election will include all ballot qualified candidates. The N.C. Bar Association is sponsoring a debate in Wilmington tomorrow which will include Libertarian Mike Beitler, incumbent Republican Richard Burr and Democrat Elaine Marshall.

NC: Union Backed Independent Candidate for Congress Files Petition for Ballot Access

From WNCT:

A union-backed movement has turned in what it believes are enough signatures for an independent candidate to run in a key North Carolina congressional district. A spokesman for the group North Carolina Families First said it turned in more than 35,000 signatures to county election offices in the 8th District by Thursday's deadline. The final batch was turned in Thursday morning in Charlotte. Elections officials will verify whether the group has collected signatures from nearly 17,000 registered voters so Wendell Fant can run against Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell in November.

NC: Constitution Party Weighs in on a Number of Bills Before the General Assembly

From the Constitution Party discussion forum:

 The Castle Doctrine (Senate Bill 928) . . . Eminent Domain (House Bill 1659) . . . Protect Health Care Freedom (House Joint Res. 1674) . . . HOUSE BILL 2032 - UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT . . . HOUSE BILL 1963 - SPEAK, READ & WRITE ENGLISH/DRIVER LICENSE . . .HOUSE BILL 2031 - NO SEIZURE OF FIREARMS DURING EMERGENCY/FUNDS__:

Follow the link for descriptions of each bill.

NC: Independent to Challenge Democrat for Congressional Seat

From the News and Record:

State Rep. Nelson Cole started out the primary season as an uncontested incumbent but now faces a challenger in the November general election. Dr. Bert Jones, a Rockingham County dentist and a former county commissioner, garnered enough signatures in May to be placed on the ballot as an independent candidate for House District 65. Cole, a Democrat, has occupied the seat since 1992.

NC: SEANC and SEIU Put Up $1 Million in Third Party Organizing Effort

From the Charlotte Observer:

The conservative-leaning tea party movement is not the only backlash to emerge from the national health care debate. The debate also created a reaction from the left.

The debate spawned a union-backed, $1million effort to create a third political party in North Carolina. The immediate goal is to punish three Democratic congressmen who voted against the new health care law - Heath Shuler of Bryson City, Mike McIntyre of Lumberton and, especially, Kissell.

The organizers say they hope to create a long-term party apparatus that will compete with the Democratic and Republican parties in the state.

NC: Libertarian Party Repudiates Would-be Candidate

From Liberty Point:

North Carolina Libertarians have taken the unusual step of repudiating a candidate. The state executive committee passed a resolution repudiating the candidacy of Jack Stratton for Mecklenburg County Commission. The resolution adopted May 8 alleges Stratton is using his campaign “to pursue personal goals rather than a bona-fide run for public office.” The resolution also charges that Stratton has a history of responding to criticism with “unfounded legal threats and intimidation.” This is probably the first time in its history the party has taken such an action. The Libertarian Party gained ballot status in North Carolina in 1978 and has been on the ballot in for every presidential and gubernatorial election since then, except for 1988.

NC: Columnist Calls for Independent Movement, Ballot Access Reform

From the News Record:

What North Carolina needs is a Charlie Crist. Crist is the Republican governor of Florida who last week said to heck with his party and announced he'll run for the U.S. Senate as an independent. Sure, the move makes Crist look like an opportunist who pulled out of the GOP primary race because he was getting drubbed in the polls by the more conservative candidate, Marco Rubio. So what? Crist answers with his new campaign slogan: Florida first. Which means: ahead of party. That's a message I'd like to see take hold in North Carolina someday. And that's why we need an independent pathfinder, too. If you only look at who wins elections, you'd think of North Carolina as a closely divided two-party state. Yet, voter-registration numbers tell a different story.

Modern Whig Party Organizing in CA, VA, GA and NC

From the Modern Whig Party blog:

The Executive Committee is pleased to confirm the appointment of Robert Shelley as State Chairman for California. Andy Trinidad has decided to spearhead the movement of the Modern Whigs in the Los Angeles County area. . . . Virginia: The Modern Whig Party of Virginia reports that it is now registered as a Political Action Committee. This status, among other items, allows the Virginia Whigs to accept donations as it continues to grow and develop.

The recent Virginia report can be viewed in full here that describes a number of benchmarks that the Virginia Whigs have met.

Western Region: The Western Region of the national Modern Whig Party continues to grow and develop. This includes attracting new members and leaders, as well as arranging meetings. For example, the Riverside County (California) Modern Whig Party recently held its regularly scheduled meeting.

Georgia & North Carolina: The revived Whig Party also is seeing noticeable growth in the Southeast. For example, the Georgia Whig Party is spearheading the cutting edge "Methodology over Ideology" element. This effort is being put to practice through several meetings throughout the state with members, prospective members, media, political activists, business leaders and others.

In North Carolina, recently approved chairperson John Chappelle has announced plans to develop a push into the state. The first Web site of the North Carolina Whigs can be viewed at www.ncmodernwhig.org.

Whigs Building Support in South East

From the Modern Whig Party blog:

While the Western Region of the national Modern Whig Party continues to grow and develop, the revived Whig Party also is seeing noticeable growth in the Southeast. For example, the Georgia Whig Party is spearheading the cutting edge "Methodology over Ideology" element. This effort is being put to practice through several meetings throughout the state with members, prospective members, media, political activists, business leaders and others.  In North Carolina, recently approved chairperson John Chappelle has announced plans to develop a push into the state. The first Web site of the North Carolina Whigs can be viewed at www.ncmodernwhig.org.

NC: Libertarian US Senate Candidate Mike Beitler

The Libertarian Party of Wake County North Carolina features video of a recent interview with Libertarian candidate for US Senate Mike Beitler:

Mitch Kokai interviews Dr. Mike Beitler about his campaign for US Senate as a Libertarian. In this short interview, the focus is on the financial condition of the nation, and taking the positive action of auditing federal agencies to discover the "black holes" where resources are being wasted. If elected, Mike Beitler's top priority is to push for an audit of the Federal Reserve.