Easley Opts for Turlington

All you people vying to become chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party ... AS YOU WERE! The Guv has spoken, and the Guv wants Ed Turlington. According to the News & Observer, Turlington, a Raleigh lawyer, "was general chairman of [John] Edwards' presidential campaign and deputy campaign manager for New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley's 2000 presidential run. Most recently he was state co-chairman of the Kerry-Edwards campaign. He also has one of the longest political resumes in North Carolina, having served as a key aide to Sanford, Hunt and Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan and as executive director of the state party."

The choice of Turlington is described as something of an olive branch to "party regulars," since the Guv had avoided most contact with the Turlington crowd (i.e., John Kerry and John Edwards) during the fall campaign.

Now we'll find out just how much resistance to Turlington will emerge before the vote by the state executive committee in February.