Grudging Acknowledgement

Last fall, at the same time Watauga and Ashe counties were defying expectations and electing Democratic representatives to the NC House & Senate, the Catawba/Alexander area was electing their first Democratic House member in many years ... former Alexander County Sheriff Ray Warren.

In Raleigh, Warren set about to improve his district's share in the state budget. By the Hickory Daily Record's reckoning, Warren has already done an outstanding job:

The successes include $600,000 in operational funds for a new engineering school in Hickory; $300,000 for the Catawba Science Center; and $100,000 for the Hosiery Technology Center at Catawba Valley Community College. A bill that strengthens regulations for water transfers is also widely viewed as a huge win for the region.

The newspaper also admits that the previous all-Republican representation in Raleigh had been ineffective in snagging state funds for that depressed district.

But how is the article headlined? "New Rep., Bigger Haul?" The question mark is duly noted. Then this very revealing subhead: "Some funds were coming to area despite Warren's help."

Despite?

This Republican rag doesn't want to get caught giving a Democrat too much credit for anything.