Lee Haywood
I want you to see this missive from NC Chamber.
I cut my teeth in politics with the Tea Party. I’m sure you will remember fondly the grass roots movement that succeeded in replacing quite a number of Democrat candidates and office holders in and around 2010, especially in the NC General Assembly. After 140 years of Democrat rule we were able to flip it to a Republican led Legislature. It was not easy but it was fun. Indeed, even though the old guard will never admit it, I believe we were a big part of the resurgance of conservatism and the saving of a Republican Party in decline.
Elites seem to never get it. Instead of lamenting the loss of their candidates and getting behind the winners, they refuse to accept that they might actually be part of the problem. Continuing to fund and support luke warm candidates will most certainly breed challengers that run on conservative principles and are ready, willing and able to wage war with a Democrat Party intent on destroying the American way of life.
I guess this letter could be worse. But I urge all establishment elites- you know who you are- to get with the program (like the rank and file are constantly urged to do) and support these good men and women like Luke and Michele. Let’s give them a chance and see what they can do.
Read on.
This, from NC Chamber:
“Even with our foreshadowing, Tuesday’s primary election results were a startling warning of the looming threats to North Carolina’s business climate. While we celebrate the victories of Chamber-backed candidates, many of the races we were watching turned for candidates that do not share our vision for North Carolina. Particularly in Republican races, populist candidates enjoyed great success. In many instances, previously unknown candidates defeated sitting legislators and elected officials with stronger qualifications, pristine voting records, and significantly more funding.
A defining example is the Republican primary for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Catherine Truitt has done an exemplary job in the role, and we have worked with her on many different efforts to improve education in North Carolina and develop students into a world-class workforce. Truitt outspent her opponent 8:1 and ran a strong campaign. By 4%, she was defeated by Michelle Morrow, a former nurse and homeschool mother. Morrow painted Truitt as a moderate and RINO (Republican in Name Only). She has never taught in a public school or been employed as a faculty member. Her previous political experience is an unsuccessful run for the Wake County school board in 2022.
Another example is Jon Hardister. A veteran legislator and current NC House Majority Whip, Hardister has been an unfailing Jobs Champion. His opponent, Luke Farley, is a far-right candidate whose two main campaign platform items were banning vaccine requirements for employees and “Making Elevators Great Again.” Despite outraising Farley 3:1, Hardister was defeated by 9% – over 75,000 votes statewide.
Both candidates move into the general with a strong chance of holding public office and will likely further politicize two offices that are, by design, nonpartisan. Each office, the Department of Public Instruction and Department of Labor, are agencies the NC Chamber works with regularly and relies on to preserve our business climate and manage the state’s public education and talent supply.
Historically, strong name ID and a good record were usually sufficient to win a primary challenge. Tuesday’s results, in these races and several others, show us that the populist wing of the Republican party is gaining strength. Their coalition isn’t necessarily one centered around ideology, but frustration and anger with the status quo. These sentiments mirror the political climate on the national stage.
As politics continue to be more centric around national narratives, NC Chamber Political Director Kirk O’Steen expects to see the number of these candidates increase in North Carolina. “The grassroots support of these far-right candidates is powerful enough to get them through primaries, but it remains unclear if they can also win the general election,” said O’Steen. “Still, many of these new candidates are in safe seats and will be assured victory in November, especially since down ballot results are most reliant on the Presidential election.”
-NC Chamber
Lee Haywood is a franchise owner for Winzer USA, an MRO supply company based in Plano, TX.He services industrial and government accounts across NC. Lee and his wife Brenda reside in Summerfield, NC and have been married for 39 years. He was born on the cusp of Scorpio and Sagittarius. He is partial to the color red and his lucky number is 3.