Oathkeeper (Insurrection Adjacent) Member of NC House Has a Credible Democratic Challenger

 

Before the end of November 2020 and following the November 3rd election, an Arizona state senator named Wendy Rogers -- a Trumpist fully invested in the big lie, a fantasy of fraud which was already manipulating millions toward what would become insurrection on January 6th -- Senator Rogers authored a letter calling for an election audit in all 50 states, "decertification where necessary," and a re-vote in the US House of Reps about who gets sworn in as president. Rogers induced Republican state lawmakers across the country -- 186 of them -- to sign her public letter. The news broke on November 25th.

Rep. Mike Clampitt (HD119), a Bryson City Republican (with his neon patriotism), signed that letter. Clampitt represents Haywood, Jackson, and Swain. He's up for reelection in a few months and has a Democratic opponent, Al Platt. Clampitt has traded his seat more than once with the seriously gregarious Joe Sam Queen, a Democrat and an architect (who actually beat Campitt more times than Clampitt beat him. It would make a "Green Acres" special).

Mike Clampitt solidly won another challenge from Queen in 2020 by his widest margin ever, and he did that on the strength of fellow citizens who have bought the big lie, big time -- and even given money, many of them, to a greed-head. Those voters believe the election was stolen. And, by the way, they also approve -- or tolerate -- Clampitt's white supremacist ties to anti-government extremists. My God. That's the reality: Mike Clampitt fits his district.

In late September 2021, Clampitt's name was among the some 38,000 people on a membership roster of the Oath Keepers, the far-right, anti-government would-be militia whose leaders are now charged with seditious conspiracy. Clampitt is also a registered member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a neo-Confederate rah-rah group currently into putting up bigger and bigger Confederate battle flags where they're not welcome.

What this guy is doing in government, considering how he obviously feels about government! 

Democrat Al Platt

Al Platt on the left, with son Parker Platt

Kind of a surprise and looks good to me! Platt clearly belongs to the Brevard business diamond circle (the Transylvania Times said that Platt Architecture was "a mainstay of the community"), and he's a generous benefactor (supporter for years of the Transylvania Boy and Girls Club), and now with ready access to vigorous fundraising and business and civic ties all over the district. Platt Architecture is a leading architectural and design business now with about three-dozen employees and many high-profile commissions.

From NC College of Design publication:

When he first opened his practice in Brevard in 1982, Al used his home as both an office and studio. Since those modest beginnings, the firm has evolved in dramatic ways, growing to become a well-respected architectural practice, while adding several new offerings, including construction, interior design, real estate, land conserva­tion, and most recently PLATT HOME, a furniture and home decor showroom opening this spring.

In 38 years, the firm has completed over 500 projects for clients from across the country.... 

The father and son team [Al Platt very recently passed the leadership of the firm to his son Parker Platt] ... have collaborated on many of the firm’s most notable projects, including the 2006 HGTV Dream Home, a private residence featured nationally in VERANDA Magazine, the Brevard-based Oskar Blues Brewery, and the soon-to-be open Parker Concert Hall on the campus of Brevard Music Center.

Somehow I got on Al Platt's email list, though I can't vote for him. I like it there.

 

And Now for the Bad News

NCFree rates HD119 R+5.

Daves' Redistricting gives it 42.7% Democratic to 54.5% Republican lean.

Can Platt, with all his business success, overcome the built-in prejudices of the voters. (Platt is highly educated, after all, and that alone is suspicious). Success depends on turn-out (natch!) and what kind of message Platt puts out there to drive turn-out. I think he should have plenty of resources to make himself known along with Clampitt's record (though so far I don't see any video on his infrastructure, and his website is barebones and barely functioning).

Jackson County contains Western Carolina University, fer goodness sake, which has probably been under-targeted for voter registration and "know your rights" campaigns. I believe that 5% of that Republican advantage can be overcome. Especially if the students know Campitt's BFFs in the extremist world of Trump lust.

Dark Money Attack Ad Against NC House Candidate Ray Russell

When you see an attack ad like the one below, don't you strain to see who paid for it? Don't you? Don't you want to know whose money went into that? Aren't you ready to spend hours trying to find out? Luckily for me, Blogger Penny Smith in Jackson County did that work, probing a PAC calling itself "Carolina Leadership Coalition," which paid for "Nutty Professor" below:

Steven B. Long

Its registered agent, at least at one time, was Steven B. Long. Long is on the NC Board of Governors; he was the force behind eliminating the ability of UNC’s Civil Rights Center to litigate on behalf of poor people. A Republican donor, he was on the board of Art Pope’s Civitas Institute, but resigned when he won a seat on the Board of Governors. He has also served as the Treasurer of the NC Republican Party.

One address for the Carolina Leadership Coalition is an office suite on Fayetteville Street in Raleigh. That must be a very large suite, because there are 9 companies listing that address as their agent’s address, including Integrity NC, NC Job Creators Forum and NC Non-Profit Corporation. It is also the address of a large, multi-state, law firm associated with Long.

However, on another set of papers the Carolina Leadership address is given as 10540 Swerling Way in Raleigh, a nice suburban house owned by Collin McMichael. It, too, must be large, because seven companies are listed there, including Common Sense Raleigh, North Carolina Issues Project and the Committee for Sound Policy Solutions.

McMichael was also treasurer for the Thom Tillis Committee, a role with which he is familiar. For example, he staffed the Elizabeth Dole campaigns. He is involved with a group called Holding Together Our Majority, which is affiliated with Tillis and includes among its donors the Koch Brothers. He is also linked to Mark Meadows (his treasurer for the Your Voice Counts PAC), whose donors include, yes, you guessed it, the Koch Brothers. And Meadows’ House Freedom Fund is linked to a number of astro-turf organizations as well as the Koch Brothers. For those of you who don’t know, the Koch Brothers are not from North Carolina. They’re not even southerners, although they have spent considerable money enlisting southerners to their pet causes. (Pope, Meadows and Tillis all have links with ALEC, an organization that churns out conservative policy papers and model legislation.)

Penny Smith got started on this research because of slick mailers (not video) in Jackson County (NCH119) extolling the manifest virtues of their incumbent Republican House member, Mike Clampitt. Paid for by a group calling itself a rosy-sounding, made-up name. It looked like a rescue operation, for Clampitt is indeed endangered. His Democratic opponent, Joe Sam Queen, has held the seat before, is widely popular and very well known, and he's been running strong. We noted here back on July 19th that Queen had vastly out-raised Clampitt in the Second Quarter. Same for Ray Russell, the subject of that attack ad below, who vastly out-raised incumbent Republican Jonathan Jordan (NCH93) in the 2nd Quarter (detailed in the same post).

Bound to be more of these "Carolina Leadership Coalition" products out across the state. Many  endangered Republican incumbents, with very anemic fund-raising -- a landscape bleak enough to give billionaires the dry heaves. Clampitt and Jordan don't need to raise money. They have Art Pope and the Koch Bros.

One final observation: This attack ad is gonna backfire. Already has. People in the district know Ray Russell. They depend on his science in their daily lives. They can recognize an outrageous smear when they see one. They resent it. Jonathan Jordan will bear the brunt of that anger, and he'll deserve it.

More Good Fundraising News from NCGA Candidates

In House District 6, Democrat Tess Judge outraised Republican Bobby Hanig in both the First Quarter and the Second Quarter for what is now an open seat. (Hanig beat out incumbent Republican Beverly Boswell in the May primary.) In the Second Quarter especially, Judge raised $63,583.23 to Hanig's $13,050. The 6th District was redrawn this year to encompass Dare, Currituck, Hyde, and Pamlico counties on the North Carolina coast.

Democrat Tess Judge was helping her husband Warren Judge run against Beverly Boswell in 2016 when he tragically died in the last week of that campaign, practically on the eve of the election. Democratic leaders wanted Tess to replace her husband on the ballot, but it was too late for making that change, and even deceased, Warren Judge got 48.17% of the vote against Boswell. Tess is back this year running in her own right. Tess Judge has worked in hospitality management her entire career and is well known in the coastal community for serving on the Board of Directors of the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce. She and her late husband Warren were named Co-Citizens of the Year by the Chamber in 2011. “As someone who has operated small businesses in our community for years, through good times and bad, I know how to manage a budget while also creating jobs .... Our people are our greatest resource – it’s time to listen and invest in them. We need to make public education a priority again. For years we have been asking our great teachers to do more with less and our schools and community colleges are underfunded. I’m running to ensure that our investments in public education result in more opportunities for our students and a workforce trained for the jobs of the future,” she said. She also currently serves on the Board of the Outer Banks Hospital and is Chair of the Outer Banks Hospital Development Council. She's been outspoken in opposition to off-shore drilling.

In House District 98, Thom Tillis's old seat in north Mecklenburg County, now held by Republican incumbent John Bradford, spunky Democrat Christy Clark has outraised Bradford in combined First and Second Quarters $70,890.47 to $17,165.62.

Democrat Christy Clark currently works as an intellectual property and business law paralegal at the law firm founded by her husband in Charlotte. She received her undergraduate degree in English at Roanoke College and her Certificate in Paralegal Studies from Duke University. She's been particularly involved with gun violence prevention, serving as the North Carolina Chapter Leader of Moms Demand Action. In that role, she says, she has spent many hours lobbying lawmakers in Raleigh, attending both committee meetings and House/Senate sessions. As a paralegal she's very familiar with the Secretary of State's office and is well informed on what's required for entrepreneurship in North Carolina. "Working with a wide range of individuals and businesses from all across the state has given me the insight into what is needed to grow a business." She lists education at the top of her issues page (as do 99.9% of the Democrats running in North Carolina this year), and she's for expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (as are ditto). Her campaign is organizing neighborhood canvasses (sometimes in 90-degree heat), which speaks volumes about energy in that district. Not to forget the fundraising.

In House District 93, "weatherman" Ray Russell, the Democrat, is leading incumbent Jonathan Jordan in total fundraising ($92,961.81, over both quarters, to Jordan's $46,152.42), but has also spent a lot already (signing on with the House Democratic Caucus has some steep costs). Still, Weatherman Ray still has more cash on hand at the end of the Second Quarter -- $27,426.08 to Jordan's $21,476.63. The 93rd District consists of Ashe and Watauga counties. The last time it was in Democratic hands = 2010.

Democrat Ray Russell is not your standard Democrat (non-standardization is the standard of 2018!). He used to be a Republican. He's also a preacher who attended a Bible college and has pastored several churches. But he's also a climate scientist with a deep reverence for scientific truth. He launched Ray's Weather, the on-line forecast site for the mountains of western North Carolina, in 2000, using his higher training as a computer scientist and a keen hobbyist's enthusiasm. He now employs four meteorologists and stretches his weather coverage from Asheville to Wytheville, Va. Russell announced his candidacy early in 2017 and went to work, and he's got solid campaign infrastructure: a manager and an army of volunteers and Facebook, Twitter, and website presence. He's raising money and sharpening a message and presents an energetic contrast to the lethargic Jordan: Russell, among other qualities, is a marathon runner. In 2016 he ran the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway, 469 miles, to raise money for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

In House District 119, Democrat Joe Sam Queen has outraised incumbent Republican Mike Clampitt by a good country mile. Queen has cash on hand of $56,683.66 to Clampitt's $17,491.14 (Clampitt only raised $21,850 during the Second Quarter). Queen used to own this seat, and Clampitt ran against him unsuccessfully at least twice before taking the seat in the Twitterman Wave of 2016. District 119 takes in a lot of mountain landscape -- from Waynesville, Cherokee, and Bryson City, down through Sylva and Cullowhee and south through Cashiers to the lowlands along the South Carolina border.

Democrat Joe Sam Queen is an architect in Waynesville. He provides color, and politically,  he's got plenty of grit. His family speaks to his values: "My wife, Dr. Kate Queen, is a rheumatologist for Haywood Regional Medical Center. My daughter Sara is an outstanding young architect and professor at NCSU, as well as a new mom to my first grandson Cole. My son Charlie, a chemist, is the Lab Director for Panacea, a North Carolina start up company in the field of personalized medicine. Both are graduates of the University of North Carolina system. As a united Methodist, I've taught Sunday school for over 20 years, led Boy Scouts, and coached youth soccer. And, like my granddaddy before me, I call the Appalachian Square Dance." He's served in both NC House and Senate. He won the 47th Senate District in 2002, lost it in 2004, and came back and won it again in 2006 and kept it through the election of 2010. That's grit. After he lost the Senate seat, he ran and won the House seat in 2012 and kept it through reelection in 2014. He was a vocal leader in the call to expand Medicaid in North Carolina and raise teacher pay. He is strongly against fracking in North Carolina and has made strong public remarks against it.

In House District 1, Democrat Ron Wesson, a county commissioner in Bertie County, is running against Republican Eddy Goodwin, a county commissioner in Chowan County, for an open seat on the Carolina coast. In a low-dollar campaign, Wesson has outraised Goodwin and has a cash-on-hand advantage, $17,765.43 to $7,361.50.

Democrat Ron Wesson is impressively qualified to win the seat. He's been elected and then reelected as a Bertie County commissioner, and he's served as both the chair of the board of commissioners and currently as vice-chair. He was born and raised in Bertie County, and he's married to a psychiatrist in private practice, Dr. Patricia W. Wesson. Ron completed his undergraduate work at UNC-Chapel Hill and his graduate studies at The Sloan School of Business, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and then joined the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation where he served for more than 31 years, retiring as a senior vice-president and Global Leader. In 2004, Black Enterprise Magazine named Wesson one of the 50 most Influential Minorities in Business. Returning to Bertie County after retirement, he threw himself into community service, became chair of the Bertie County Chamber of Commerce, joined the Rotary Club, the Bertie County Community Foundation, and the Bertie County Schools Foundation. He moved into public service in 2012, running for and winning his seat on the county commission. He was actively recruited for this race by the Democratic House Caucus. He says on his website, "Any success that I have had in business and in life, can be directly traced to the investment that others have made in me. I have always been encouraged to look beyond one’s self and seek to support others in ways that I have been supported. My Mother once said to me…'Son, God has blessed you with enough sense to do pretty much anything you set your mind to do. You will find that there are a lot of much smarter people out there, but never let anyone out work you to achieve your goals.' I have endeavored to live by this advice, and if given the opportunity, I look forward to working hard for the citizens of North Carolina’s 1st House District."

Yates-Lockamy in House District 46

The North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation (Jonathan Kappler, really) currently lists 14 NC House seats as "competitive." Five of those seats are already held by Democrats. The other nine are currently held by Republicans, though two of them are now technically "open seats" because the Republican incumbent had planned to go fishing next year.

I've already written about several of the Democrats running for those Republican-held seats:

Ron Wesson (two days ago), District 1

Joe Sam Queen (scroll down), District 119

Terence Everitt (scroll down -- with a primary opponent), District 35

Sydney Batch, District 37

Erica McAdoo (scroll down), District 63

Julie von Haefen, District 36


Three others of the 14 districts will have Democratic primaries (including District 35, where Terence Everitt is running), and I've a hill to climb yet researching those races, as some candidates don't have a web presence. The same deficiency goes for a couple of other Democrats without primaries who haven't yet made it onto Watauga Watch (District 46 and 51). Until today.

Barbara Yates-Lockamy

Democrat Barbara Yates-Lockamy, running against a Republican incumbent named Jones in District 46.

District 46 now carves out a crescent on the eastern side of Robeson County and dips south toward the coast along the South Carolina border to take in the western side of Columbus County. It cuts out Pembroke (and its university) and clearly jerks east to keep away from Lumberton. (Looks like the map-drawer had a sudden sneezing fit.) Columbus County has over a dozen little towns and hamlets, the largest of which is Whiteville. But otherwise -- with Lumberton eliminated -- district 46 is a district without a large metropolitan magnet.

Barbara Yates-Lockamy is since 2010 a member of the Columbus County Board of Education (currently serving as chair, and she's an honorary member of the All-State School Board) and is prominent throughout the region. She serves on the Board of Directors of the NC Caucus of Black School Board Members, and in 2013 she was elected to the Board of Directors of the North Carolina School Board Association. On the Columbus Board of Education she co-exists with an otherwise all-male, all-white board. 

She lives in the county seat of Whiteville. When she was vice chair of the Columbus County Board in 2017, she supported the consolidation of Columbus County Schools with the Whiteville City Schools: "approximately 75-percent of Columbus County and Whiteville City schools facilities are over 50 years old and a gradual decline in enrollment has emphasized the need to consolidate."

The Board of Education of Whiteville City Schools fought the consolidation hard. "Whiteville City Schools Superintendent Charles Garland says the merger would not save money and would reduce state funding. Last week, Garland told [a reporter for WWAY-TV] it would be a significant loss of state dollars coming in to a poor economic county."

The opponents of consolidation went to their Republican General Assembly members, who told them that consolidation was ultimately in the hands of the seven-member county Board of Commissioners, only one of which represents Whiteville in their seven-district plan. Whiteville is feeling put upon and under-represented, and Yates-Lockamy putatively represents Whiteville on the Columbus County School Board. The school consolidation vote probably hurts her -- maybe -- with some of her base. It's curious -- in all the local press coverage of consolidation, Yates-Lockamy is never quoted. She's either very silent or simply ignored.

So far, Yates-Lockamy has no campaign infrastructure -- no Facebook, no website, no other social media at all. Someone needs to help her out.

New (And Old) Democratic Talent for 2018

Juicier and juicier. But nobody's kidding himself: it's going to take voter enthusiasm and lots of on-the-ground volunteer work.

Wesley Harris, running in the 103rd NC House District

House Dist. 103 is on the east side of Charlotte and takes in Mint Hill and a large part of Matthews. 

Wesley Harris

Republican incumbent: William "Bill" Brawley is a real estate broker. He was first elected to this seat in the Tea Party tide of 2010. In 2012 he ran unopposed in both the primary and in November. Ditto 2014. In 2016 he had a Democratic woman against him, and she made a respectable showing, getting almost 44% of the vote. In 2016 he refused to respond to a Charlotte Observer written candidate profile. He's a senior chair of the Finance Committee. In one of the special sessions of 2017, Brawley introduced HB 514 to allow the towns of Mint Hill and Matthews to apply for their own charter schools. The bill passed the House but died in the Senate. In 2007, before he joined the GA, he was managing properties in Charlotte including a hotel that he learned was one of the top three hotspots for organized crime. Men were buying women there for sex. When Brawley barged into the establishment, he learned that some of the women were "trafficked," were there against their will, and he arranged to have one woman rescued by a SWAT team. Commendably, Brawley introduced last year the "Human Trafficking: Resistance and Rescue Act" in the NC House, which didn't go anywhere yet.

Democrat Wesley Harris has a doctorate in economics from Clemson. He is a member of the Charlotte Economics Club, the Mecklenburg County Young Democrats, the Arts and Science Council Young Donors Society, and serves as an adjunct professor of economics at UNC Charlotte. Wesley and his twin sister, Meredith, have started a non-profit focused on helping small businesses and nonprofits raise capital. A political novice, no doubt, but 2018 is maybe the year for novices.

If you want to contribute to the Wesley Harris campaign, https://secure.ngpvan.com/XTU0kxqpSkO4hWmBuIMVHA2

Rhonda Schandevel, running in the 118th NC House District

House Dist. 118 is pure mountain real estate: from Burnsville south to Mars Hill, it skirts Asheville to the west and takes in Clyde and Maggie Valley.

Republican incumbent: Michele Presnell. Let her define herself: "She has been a self-employed business owner of Serendipity Custom Frames in Burnsville, N.C. for more than 30 years. She has experience in local government as a Yancey County Commissioner. Michele is a pro-life advocate, and a member of the West Burnsville Baptist Church. She is a conservative, life-long Republican serving Haywood, Madison and Yancey Counties. Michele is a lifetime member of the NRA and has her concealed carry." She is well coifed. She is an obedient soldier for the generals. She first won the seat in 2012 by beating Democrat Ray Rapp by a slim margin. In 2014 she also seemed shaky, beating her Democratic opponent by under 700 votes. In 2016, Democrat Rhonda Schandevel challenged her and lost by 11 points.

Democrat Rhonda Schandevel is back for a re-match. She was born and raised in Haywood County and has worked for a regional healthcare provider as a dental hygienist for over 30 years. She was previously elected to the local school board. "Duke Energy should clean up its own mess," she says in her first campaign video, and she ain't wrong!

If you want to contribute to Rhonda Schandevel, https://act.myngp.com/Forms/3405729175008448000

Joe Sam Queen, running in the 119th NC House District

The 119th takes in a lot of mountain landscape and some lowlands -- from Waynesville, Cherokee, and Bryson City, down through Sylva and Cullowhee and south through Cashiers to the South Carolina border.

Incumbent Republican: Mike Clampitt is brand new in the House and is going into his first reelection campaign. He ran twice unsuccessfully for this seat against then incumbent, Democrat Joe Sam Queen, and finally beat Queen in 2016 by less than 300 votes. Clampitt otherwise has a thin resume. From Ballotpedia: Clampitt earned a degree in Fire Science and Technology from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in 1976. His professional experience includes being a retired Fire Captain for the Charlotte Fire Department and Asst. Sergeant at Arms for the North Carolina General Assembly. He's an unadulterated conservative and a flashy dresser. He's also become in recent months a Confederate flag-waver, and when a woman at a town hall in Haywood County called it racism, he reportedly got tears of frustration in his eyes that anyone would think him racist.

Joe Sam Queen

Democrat Joe Sam Queen. This re-match comes closest to a grudge contest of any race you see this year. Joe Sam Queen is an architect in Waynesville. Politically, he provides color and and he's got plenty of grit. His family speaks to his success:  "My wife, Dr. Kate Queen, is a rheumatologist for Haywood Regional Medical Center. My daughter Sara is an outstanding young architect and professor at NCSU, as well as a new mom to my first grandson Cole. My son Charlie, a chemist, is the Lab Director for Panacea, a North Carolina start up company in the field of personalized medicine. Both are graduates of the University of North Carolina system. As a united Methodist, I've taught Sunday school for over 20 years, led Boy Scouts, and coached youth soccer. And, like my granddaddy before me, I call the Appalachian Square Dance." He's served in both NC House and Senate. He won the 47th Senate District in 2002, lost it in 2004, and came back and won it again in 2006 and kept it through the election of 2010. That's grit. He was a vocal leader in the call to expand Medicaid in North Carolina and raise teacher pay. He is strongly against fracking in North Carolina and has made strong public remarks against it.

If you would like to contribute to Joe Sam Queen, https://secure.actblue.com/donate/joesamqueen

Applause for the Forward Thinkers of Boone

Boone Town Councilman Andy Ball took the lead with the Boone Town Council in introducing a resolution endorsing wind power as an untapped resource for a sustainable future ... in the face of a movement in the NC General Assembly to ban any commercial development of wind power in the NC mountains.

Those General Assembly folks out to kill the future of wind power -- led by Sen. Joe Sam Queen who represents Avery, Haywood, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, and Yancey counties -- are misguided. They are wrong. They have been influenced by special interests who do not want the million-dollar views from their quarter-million-dollar decks spoiled by wind turbines.

Spoilment of the view is obviously in the eye of the beholder. To me, the sight of the ASU wind turbine revolving in the moving air is sheer beauty. It's flight and freedom ... and independence from freakin' oil.

It's also the future, or at least a large part of the future. The Town of Boone, which gets nothing much from the big wigs of Watauga County but insults and contempt, deserves accolades for embracing the future and fighting for it.