North Carolina--Details

NORTH CAROLINA

14 Electoral Votes

Bush-Cheney	Gore-Lieberman
Campaign	Campaign
Bush-Cheney contact (Senior Regional Advisor, Victory 2000): Neal Rhoades ...SE regional political director for Bush for President during the primary campaign, the Tar Heel native started in Raleigh on July 1, 2000. Office: 1410 Hillsborough St., Raleigh Victory 2000 Exec. Dir: Harris Vaughan North Carolina Republican Party Chairman: Bill Cobey Exec. Dir.: Dan Gurley Office: 1410 Hillsborough St., Raleigh	Gore-Lieberman State Director: Rodney Shelton ...from Little Rock, Arkansas. Political: Mack Paul, Wendy Lapish ...both with NC experience, paid for by state party. Office: 220 Hillsborough St., Raleigh Coordinated Campaign Director: Don Baker North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman: Barbara Allen Exec. Dir.: Scott Falmlen Office: 220 Hillsborough St., Raleigh
Candidate Travel (Aug. 1-Nov. 7) GWB: 1 trip DC: 1 trip	Candidate Travel (Aug. 1-Nov. 7) AG: 1 trip JL: trips
Oct. 10-11 -- Oct. 10 GWB Victory 2000 airport arrival rallly at Piedmont-Triad International Airport in Greensboro. Oct. 11 GWB second presidential debate at Wake Forest University and post-debate rally at the Cattle Barn in Winston-Salem. Aug. 30 -- (arrive at Charlotte-Douglas Airport) DC and LC at North Carolina Victory 2000 luncheon at Marriott City Center, Charlotte.	Oct. 11 -- AG second presidential debate at Wake Forest University and post-debate rally at The Coliseum Annex, Winston-Salem.


A Sampling of More Campaign Activity	A Sampling of More Campaign Activity
Oct. 25 -- "Barnstorm for Reform" -- Govs. Kempthorne (ID) and Johnson (NM) [Gov. Keating (OK) cancelled] and Texas Democrat Rep. Ron Lewis at Buncombe County Victory 2000 Headquarters in Asheville and Mecklenburg County GOP Headquarters in Charlotte. Oct. 12 -- Former President George H.W. Bush attends morning fundraiser at private home in Greensboro and luncheon fundraiser at another home in Greensboro. Aug. 4 -- Former President George H.W. Bush attends a fundraising reception at Ravenel House (DuPont Estate), Highlands.	Oct. 11 (debate trip) -- Tipper Gore fundraising luncheon at private home in Greensboro and rally at Evangel Fellowship Church of God in Christ in Greensboro. Oct. 11 -- Hadassah Lieberman visits Smart Start early childhood program in Charlotte and attends fundraiser at Irregardless Cafe in Raleigh. Sept. 22 -- Gov. Jim Hunt and U.S. Sen. John Edwards kick off NC Gore-Lieberman campaign at Democratic headquarters in Raleigh.
Television	Television

Some Newspaper Endorsements	Some Newspaper Endorsements
Winston-Salem Journal --10/29/00 High Point Enterprise Hickory Daily Record --10/27/00	The News & Observer --11/5/00 Charlotte Observer --10/29/00 News & Record (Greensboro) --11/5/00 Wilmington Star --10/31/00

Miscellaneous Notes

Bush obtained his biggest plurality of any state except for Texas in North Carolina, 373,471 votes.

In the words of one North Carolina Republican, this was a potentially realigning election. Republican congressmen Charles Taylor and Robin Hayes, among the DCCC's top targets, were re-elected comfortably; Republicans gained five seats in House, and they elected a chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court for the first time in history. However, they failed to take the governorship. Republican nominee Richard Vinroot attempted to tie the Democrat, Mike Easley, to Al Gore, and to link himself to Bush. For example, one of his TV ads from early October noted that, "Easley won't be seen with Al Gore in public." An ad from later in the month began, "Like Al Gore, Mike Easley is telling whoppers." The ad concluded labeling Easley "an Al Gore liberal who will raise taxes but denies it." Such themes, along with attempts to tie in with Bush, were a constant refrain from the Vinroot campaign. The strategy, which might have been more appropriate to a U.S. Senate race, did not pay off for Vinroot as he lost by 169,364 votes.

Tobacco is an important part of the economy in North Carolina; the issue did not favor Gore. For example, a Sept. 13, 2000 news release "North Carolina Congressmen Blast Gore's $66 billion tobacco tax" contained searing quotes about Gore from Congressmen Coble, Burr, Hayes and Ballenger and Jones. An example: "...his careless double-talking jeopardizes North Carolina’s tobacco industry, from the farmers and the manufacturers to local consumers who rely on the industry’s success." (Burr)

Sen. John Edwards was on Gore's short list of vice presidential prospects and was the focus of considerable attention for about a week until the Lieberman pick became public on Aug. 7, 2000. Edwards was reportedly runner-up to Lieberman; his political inexperience tipped the balance to the Connecticut Senator.

Gore and his family took a week-long vacation at a borrowed home on Figure Eight Island, North Carolina through Aug. 3.

Nader
Ralph Nader was not on the ballot and did not visit North Carolina during the fall campaign. His one visit was on May 2. Nader State Coordinator: Doug Stuber.

Buchanan
Pat Buchanan spoke at Campbell University in Buies Creek on Oct. 11.
On Aug. 24, after hearing from Buchanan and Hagelin supporters, the State Board of Elections voted 3 to 1 to put Buchanan on the ballot as the Reform Party presidential candidate. North Carolina Reform Party supporters of Hagelin went to court; Wake County Superior Court Judge Howard Manning ruled Buchanan should remain on the ballot as the Reform Party candidate on Sept. 8.

Browne
At Winston-Salem on debate day Oct. 11 Harry Browne did a radio interview and a television program on the Wake Forest campus, then spoke at the "Rock the Vote" concert nearby. During the debate he participated in "mirror" debate for Lycos.com and afterwards he answered debate questions for FreedomChannel.com.