Democrats in Moore, after losing almost every county election going back to 1986, have become dispirited to the point that not one of them bothered to file for local office in 2000. For them, there’s no way to go but up.
At the least, Democrats must be enjoying the comic relief the Republicans are providing. Some examples:
n Matt McWilliams would have us believe that he and he alone made the decision to challenge Co-Speaker of the House Richard Morgan in the 2002 Republican primary. Never mind that Morgan’s Republican rivals in the House have vowed for months that the co-speaker would get primary opposition next year.
n County Republican Chairwoman Elizabeth Kelly would have us believe that she played no role in convincing McWilliams to make the race against Morgan. Never mind that she accompanied McWilliams to meetings with two of Morgan’s biggest detractors, state Rep. John Blust and former Rep. Art Pope in Greensboro and Raleigh, respectively.
n Republicans in the party faction led by Southern Pines insurance executive George Little would have us believe that they are staying on the sidelines in the fight between McWilliams and Morgan. That may be true, but you can bet the Little crowd, which has little use for Kelly, McWilliams or Morgan, is getting a giggle out of it.
n And finally — we saved the best for last — McWilliams would have us believe that he is his party’s salvation. When he resigned as county GOP vice chairman to enter the race for the legislature, he submitted a letter of resignation that said, “Many Republican activists have told me that the future of the Republican Party in North Carolina rests on my shoulders. This is a weight I am willing to bear.” Such selflessness, such sacrifice.
If the Democrats are paying attention, they’re scouring around to find a candidate with real stature to run for the House of Representatives. By the time the Republicans get through bloodying each other in next year’s primary, Morgan’s House seat might be ripe for the picking.
