Rocky Mount Telegram: Senate Challenger Eyes GOP Incumbent

Rocky Mount Telegram
By Mike Hixenbaugh
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

NASHVILLE – N.C. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-Guliford, didn’t seem worried about the looming May 6 primary or the four other Democrats vying for U.S. Senate when she spoke Tuesday at the Nash County Democratic Party’s Spring Candidates’ Forum.
During her address, Hagan never acknowledged her primary election competition – two of whom were in the room.

“I’m Kay Hagan, and I am running against Libby Dole for U.S. Senate,” Hagan said of her would-be general election opposition, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. “And I have two things going for me in that race against Libby Dole; one, I live in North Carolina; and two, my husband can vote for me.”

Hagan was one of several Democratic candidates seeking offices ranging from county commissioner to lieutenant governor who spoke at the three-hour event at Nash Community College.

Hagan’s chief primary competition, Chapel Hill financial adviser Jim Neal, also was scheduled to speak Tuesday but canceled at the last moment. Political newcomers Duskin Lassiter and Howard Staley, little-known Democrats also running for Dole’s seat, followed Hagan in speaking. The fifth candidate, Marcus Williams, also was not present Tuesday.

Hagan holds a 20-point lead over Neal in recent polls.

Hagan briefly spoke on her proposed solutions to federal education woes, reaching energy independence and ending the war in Iraq, but otherwise used the forum to chide the Republican incumbent.

“Libby Dole was just ranked the 93rd (most) effective Senator in the U.S., and I think one of the reasons she was elected was because she had a lot of clout with President Bush,” Hagan said. “When I go around talking to people, though, they all know who she is, but you know what? Nobody can say what she’s done for them.

“I think we need to give Libby Dole a pair of ruby red slippers, tell her to click her heels and send her back to Kansas.”

All four Democratic lieutenant governor hopefuls, Walter Dalton, Hampton Dellinger, Pat Smathers and Dan Besse, spoke at the event.

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