U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre’s bid for a ninth term in Congress might not be determined at the ballot box in November 2012, but could instead be decided in the coming weeks on an easel in Raleigh.
For the first time in almost forever, Republicans control both houses of the General Assembly, and the timing for them couldn’t be better as district lines that will be used for the next decade must be drawn to align with the 2010 census. After being gerrymandered out of power for a century, the GOP will be looking for some retribution, and Republicans apparently covet the District 7 seat tightly held by McIntyre, a Lumberton Democrat, since he first waded into the political pool in 1996.
McIntyre never had a serious Republican opponent in the General Election until 2010, when Ilario Pantano garnered about 47 percent of the vote. Pantano, a transplanted Northerner who now claims Wilmington as his home, has already announced he will run again.
But McIntyre’s fiercest opponent might be Republicans in the General Assembly, who are unlikely to encounter a whole lot of resistance during redistricting from our local legislative delegation, which has a couple of strikes against it. Three of the four members are Democrats, the minority party, and the local delegation doesn’t boast much seniority, with two freshmen and a sophomore among their ranks. The most senior member, state Rep. Garland Pierce, does sit on the House committee in charge of redistricting, so there’s that.
Robeson County residents know who butters their bread, which is why Democrats don’t even have to campaign here. The county supported Democrat Mike Dukakis, a Massachusetts liberal, by a two-to-one margin over George Bush the dad during the 1988 presidential election, and four years earlier, went for George McGovern, also Democrat, who suffered the worst loss in a presidential race in the nation’s history.
So our allegiance is clear, and won’t escape Republicans, who could grab the paring knife and dice up Robeson County as a way to dilute that voting power.
Your politics will dictate whether or not you believe McIntyre’s exit from Congress would be a good thing or a bad thing. But on this, Robeson County Republicans and Democrats should unite: A fractured Robeson County isn’t a good thing for our clout in Congress, because lawmakers tend to be loyal to the voters who elect them, and if this county’s role in electing a U.S. representative is negligible, expect that kind of love in return.
The redistricting process is underway in Raleigh, and while new lines haven’t been drawn, there is writing on the wall.
I also find it hilarious that District 7 was almost represented by Rose Marie. As nice as it would be to have a Lumbee in Congress, that would not be my first (or second....or third.....or fourth....etc.) choice.
Where is all the "butter" or "bread" for that matter. We are highest in crime worst in education and unemployment is through the roof.
Why don't you take a look at all the students who (in spite of all the adversities of our education system) do go on to college out of the area.... most don't come back... and how could you blame them. How can you attract great talent and people to a county that can't keep its own. Thats not to say there aren't alot of good people here but the loss of talent and inability to offer outside talent anything worthwhile is a HUGE factor.
The same ole "good ole boy" system just isn't working anymore and its time for something new.
I think splitting Robco up might be a good idea.
Let Pembroke keep McIntyre and maybe Lumberton can get someone who will focus on OUR city. Results matter and its about time for some results especially after all the promises from the last election cycle.
Hey PK and BBBD - here's a prediction for you. Your savior Pantano will have to run in the 13th and lose in a Republican primary to an actual North Carolinian. You were wrong in your predictions last election. Let's see how you do come 2012.
Lumlum
Thanks. I was talking about since 1996, but it should have been clearer. McIntyre also had a tough primary in 1996 if I recall correctly, winning a close race over Rose Marie Lowry-Townsend.
Thanks for the clarification.
Donnie Douglas
Editor
The Robesonian
He will argue that seniority rules in the House dictate that he must surpass his self imposed term limit in order to gain more powerful committee position. While this is true, it is still imperative for this nation that Democrats be replaced with Republicans. We cannot afford another two, four, or six years of the past Democrat spending that we have endured. And the whole committee rule structure should be reformed. The only position that should be based on seniority is that of speaker (which is elected but normally goes to the senior of the ruling party). The rest should be randomly selected and rotating each term so that any that do have multiple terms would have a chance to rotate and not gain some power base. The chairs of each committee could then be elected by whoever falls into the committee. It may be possible by this rule that the minority party ends up controlling one or more committee, but this would be good in that gridlock in Washington is ALWAYS a good thing instead a bad thing.
I don't know at his point who will end up running against Mr. McIntyre, but I hope that we make change in Washington. The right kind of change - not the Obama kind!