The latest local political spin involves school construction. No one is really against any reasonable proposal to improve school facilities. After all, it is one of the first qualifiers for new business moving to the area.
Concerned citizens shouldn’t be dismissed though. Government and politicians don’t exactly have a great track record for making consistently good decisions. The distrust has merit.
Robeson needs the best facilities possible. But the value of a good education doesn’t exist solely within brick and mortar. Many of these schools are the heart of communities. Loss of community control, cost overruns and other concerns are legitimate fears that should be heard.
It can’t be said enough that this may be a great deal for the county. Many other counties are moving toward lease agreements. It also can’t be said enough though that any great deal will withstand time and vetting. Hopefully, the fine print will be worked out and fears resolved.
At the state level, the NCGOP recently removed its state chair and installed former state Chairman Robin Hayes. The State Convention held recently found everyone getting along and the removed chair present at the convention. So party infighting controversies ended up being anti-climatic.
Meanwhile, the governor is still getting beat up by HB2. According to the Wall Street Journal, Roy Cooper’s fingerprints are all over liberal companies trying to punish the state. Cooper has tried to leverage the liberal move for his own advantage. It is doubtful this will matter much in Robeson, which led the state in supporting the marriage amendment as evidence of Robeson being very socially conservative.
National politics overshadows all these issues. Trump is the last man standing for the GOP. National polling agency Rasmussen has Trump ahead of Hillary. He also has vastly more Democrat supporters than Hillary has Republican supporters.
For those wanting Trump signs, this is a transition period. We are told they’ve made the last print run of signs with just Trump on them. The next runs will have his choice for a vice presidential running mate. So there will be a slight delay getting the new signs.
The local Republican Party HQ will soon be open. An annual gun raffle is being completed to help finance operations so last-minute tickets can be obtained from executive committee members. Signs from Trump and other candidates will then be available.
The recent NCGOP State Convention was attended by a Robeson delegation of Republicans. State officials seemed to have transitioned to supporting Trump without a problem at the convention. The media was wrong again about state and national politics fracturing the Republican Party.
Trump is bringing a wider tent to the Republican Party, not a smaller one. Newt Gringrich believes he may even overshadow Reagan, who is the conservative gold standard.
But the next actual political voting will be the special congressional primary to be held June 7. All three Republican candidates have visited Robeson often.
Robert Pittenger is technically the incumbent, having served Charlotte. But really there is no recognizable incumbent for all practical purposes as none of the candidates are known widely in the new district.
Todd Johnson is running and was a former district party chair. He is also a former Union County commissioner.
Mark Harris is a candidate and may be familiar to those involved with the marriage amendment. As pastor of the First Baptist Church in Charlotte, Harris led those efforts and has worked through local churches.
The only Democratic candidate who has filed is Christian Cano from Charlotte. So the primary will be an event for only local Republicans and unaffiliated voters.
As the proposed district still leans Republican, primary voters may very well decide our next congressman. Republicans and unaffiliated voters are encouraged to study these candidates closely.
