Political analysis: Loyalty counts


Editor’s Note: The following article was submitted to us from the webzine The Political Junkies. The publisher, Stephen T. Gheen, was of the opinion that it would be of interest to our readers, and we agree.

Rep. Joe Hackney of Orange County will be the next Speaker of the NC House of Representatives. He is progressive, experienced, talented and effective.

Democrats can expect to see a positive session of the General Assembly starting later this month.

It took four votes for Rep. Hackney’s selection. NC Spin provides the ballot counts based upon their inside sources:

1st Ballot

Joe Hackney 24

Dan Blue 17

Jim Crawford 14

Drew Saunders 6

Mickey Michaux 5

Michaux was low man and eliminated

2nd Ballot

Joe Hackney 25

Jim Crawford 19

Dan Blue 18

Drew Saunders 4

Saunders was low man and eliminated

3rd Ballot

Joe Hackney 26

Jim Crawford 21

Dan Blue 19

Blue was low man and eliminated

4th Ballot

Joe Hackney 41

Jim Crawford 24

Observers have framed several “takes” on Rep. Hackney’s victory. They are each provide valuable information.

NC Spin Analysis

Members of the Black caucus talked with Michaux right up to the time for nominations, urging him to drop out and improve the chances for an African-American to win. As often happens, two African-American candidates split the vote and prevented either from winning. Former House Speaker Dan Blue told this reporter that the minute Michaux allowed his name to be nominated, he (Blue) knew he wasn’t going to win.

Another source said it was clear from watching the vote counts that the candidates could not hold their votes and deliver them to another candidate once they were defeated. Once their candidate was eliminated, the members felt free to vote for whom they wanted.

When Blue was eliminated, the more liberal element of the caucus switched to Hackney, the moderate and conservative element went to Crawford.

Fitzsimon Analysis

His nomination is really not a surprise, as he was the frontrunner for the job from the beginning. As House Majority Leader, it was his job to keep the Democrats united and last session was a trying time for togetherness. But the position gave him plenty of opportunities to interact with individual Democrats and earn their trust.

Hackney stepped into a more prominent leadership role in the campaign after Black could no longer credibly raise money for House Democrats, at least partially proving himself capable on the campaign and fundraising trial, also seen as another important job of the Speaker.

Hackney was also elected because he has paid his dues, first elected to the House in 1980 and part of the Democratic leadership teams since 1991, when he was Co-Chair of the powerful House Finance Committee. He was almost always loyal to the House leadership on key issues, even when it meant ignoring his own views, his unfortunate vote for the lottery being the most obvious example.

He was also loyal to Jim Black publicly, possibly to a fault, but that too gained him some support for his bid for Speaker.

* * *

An additional factor may also help to explain Rep. Hackney’s selection — Party loyalty; not Rep. Hackney’s loyalty, but that of Rep. Crawford.

Rep. Crawford, a conservative, was certainly qualified to be Speaker. He has largely shaped the House budgets on behalf of Democrats. It is a powerful position, which Rep. Crawford has handled responsibly.

Carefully note that when Dan Blue was eliminated from the contest, Hackney and Crawford were within five votes with Blue’s considerable 19 votes in play. Ultimately, Rep. Crawford only got three of those votes. According to NC Spin, it was simply a matter of “liberal” Blue votes going to the more liberal of the two candidates remaining. Fitzsimon views it from the perspective of Hackney’s loyalty to the House Democratic leadership over the years and his hard, professional work.

Rep. Crawford became embroiled in a controversial Sheriff’s race in Vance County during the mid-term elections; an involvement that may have been a factor in the vast majority of Rep. Blue’s votes going to Hackney.

Democrat Peter White was elected as the new Sheriff in Vance County in November. A veteran of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Peter White is the first Black Sheriff of Vance County. White won a contested Democratic Party primary, including a runoff, defeating incumbent Sheriff Thomas Breedlove. With no Republican opponent, White was assured election.

George Hoyle, a white, independent candidate, who claimed to be a Democrat, emerged and gained enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. Hoyle is Rep. Crawford’s son-in-law and Rep. Crawford assisted his campaign

Hoyle’s emergence threatened to divide the Democratic Party down largely racial lines. The local Democratic Party rallied around their candidate. However, Vance County Democrats called on a number of regional and statewide Democratic stalwarts who either are currently holding elected office or who had held elective office to endorse White. None did. Presumably, these Democrats did not step forward, in part, not to as potentially offend Rep. Crawford.

State Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek stepped into the race. In October, Meek issued a statement clearly identifying White as the Democratic Party choice for Sheriff. In the closing weeks of the campaign, Democrats, still failing to attract a “name” regional or statewide Democrat to help, summoned Chairman Meek to Vance County to campaign for White.

NC Democratic Party Chair Jerry Meek said, “I’m here to say, as clearly and plainly as possible, that the North Carolina Democratic Party fully and completely supports Peter White for Sheriff of Vance County. With 30 years experience on the State Highway Patrol, Peter White is the most experienced candidate for this job. I encourage all Democrats in Vance County to support him.

In the closing days of the campaign, Meek provided a personal message that was used as a robo call into every Democratic household in the County.

The election was close, but White won with 6,264 votes, 52 percent and the challenger received 5,696, 48 percent.

In TPJ’s estimation, when Rep. Blue was eliminated from the Speakers race Rep. Crawford’s failure to support Peter White became a liability. It would appear that the progressive members of the House who supported Rep. Blue then cast their ballots for Rep. Hackney, not only a progressive, but a Representative who had been loyal to the Democratic Party.