by Grass Roots North Carolina-Political Victory Fund does not make endorsements. However, they do make recommendations based upon their candidate evaluations and basic electoral strategy.
GRNC generally does not provide blanket “endorsements,” but rather recommendations for effective voting strategies for the districts listed. Often, other candidates may be as good as the ones recommended, but might not get a recommendation for a variety of logistical reasons. If a district is not listed, GRNC has no recommendation for that particular race.
Their recommendations for the November general election are below. Early voting in the state started on Thursday, October 18th. You can check the State Board of Elections for more information on hours and locations in your county.
FEDERAL RACES
US President:
Vote for Romney (R, **). Libertarian Gary Johnson might well be pro-gun (although he failed to return GRNC’s survey and lacks a voting record on gun issues), but he stands no chance of victory. Given that Obama has publicly committed, during the presidential debates, to passing another “assault weapon” ban, voters should cast votes to keep him out of office. In this case, a vote for Johnson is effectively a vote for Obama.
US House:
District 1: Vote for Holloman (L, ****)
District 2: Vote for Elmers (R, ****)
District 3: Vote for Jones (R, ****)
District 4: Vote for D’Annunzio (R, ****)
District 5: Vote for Foxx (R, ****)
District 6: Vote for Coble (R, ****)
District 7: Vote for Rouzer (R, ****) due to 100% pro-gun voting record in NC Senate
District 8: Vote for Hudson (R, ****)
District 9: Vote for Pittenger (R, ****)
District 10: Vote for McHenry (R, ****), who has been a leader on gun issues both in the NC House and in Congress
District 11: Vote for Meadows (R, ****), who has made support for the Second Amendment a large part of his campaign
District 12: No recommendation
District 13: Vote for Holding (R, ****)
NORTH CAROLINA STATEWIDE RACES
NC GOV: Vote for McCory. Dalton is anti-gun, having racked up only a 53% pro-gun voting record in his 6 terms in the NC Senate. Although Libertarian Barbara Howe is undoubtedly the most pro-gun candidate in the race, she stands no chance of victory. Voting for her will help put Dalton in a position to stop all pro-gun legislation for at least the next four years
NC LT GOV: Vote for Forest
SUPREME CT: Vote for Newby
NORTH CAROLINA STATEWIDE RACES
NC Senate
District 1: Vote for Cook (R, ****)
District 2: Vote for Sanderson (R, ****)
District 4: Vote for Nail (R, ****)
District 6: Vote for Brown (R, ****)
District 7: Vote for Pate (R, ****)
District 8: Vote for Rabon (R, ****)
District 9: Vote for Goolsby(R, ****), a staunch gun rights supporter who sponsored pro-gun legislation in his first term in office
District 10: Vote for Jackson (R, ****)
District 11: Vote for Newton (R, ****). A former Jesse Helms staffer, in his freshman year Newton earned a co-chair position on the Judiciary II Committee through which gun bills are generally referred. He not only facilitated Senate passage of omnibus gun rights bill HB 650 – which contained Castle Doctrine, parks carry and much more – but actually wrote language to further strengthen Castle Doctrine. Newton is a leader for gun rights and the clear choice in this race.
District 13: Vote for Walters (D, ****)
District 15: Vote for Hunt (R, ****)
District 18: Vote for Doug Berger (D, ****), who has a 100% pro-gun voting record spanning 4 terms in the NC Senate and stood up to chamber leadership by offering a discharge petition to attempt to dislodge GRNC’s restaurant carry bill from committee. Opponent Barefoot claims to be pro-gun, but has as his mentor House Majority Leader “Skip” Stam, who has displayed consistent antipathy for gun rights by first trying to gut GRNC’s “Castle Doctrine” bill and then helping defeat a measure which could have allowed employees to keep guns in locked vehicles at places of employment.
District 19: Vote for Meredith (R, ****)
District 23: Vote for Carter (R, ***)
District 24: Vote for Gunn (R, ****)
District 25: Vote for McIntyre (R, ***)
District 26: Vote for Phil Berger (R, ****) . With a long history featuring a 100% pro-gun vote record and of sponsoring pro-gun legislation, as Senate President Pro Tempore, Berger passed omnibus pro-gun bill HB 650, containing Castle Doctrine, parks carry and other provisions. He lowered his evaluation by refusing a hearing to restaurant carry bill HB 111, but promises to give it a hearing in the next session. We will see whether he holds true to his promise
District 27: Vote for Trudy Wade (R, ****). Previously on Greensboro City Council, she fought against concealed carry restrictions in parks. Opponent Myra Slone is openly hostile to gun owners
District 29: Vote for Tillman (R, ****)
District 30: Vote for East (R, ****)
District 31: Vote for Brunstetter (R, ****)
District 33: Vote for Bingham (R, ****)
District 34: Vote for Brock (R, ****)
District 35: Vote for Tucker (R, ****)
District 36: Vote for Hartsell (R, ****)
District 38: Vote for Rivette (R, ****)
District 39: Vote for Rucho (R, ****)
District 40: Vote for Philip (R, ****)
District 41: Vote for Tarte (R, ****)
District 42: Vote for Allran (R, ****)
District 43: Vote for Harrington (R, ****)
District 45: Vote for Soucek (R, ****)
District 46: Vote for Daniel (R, ****) who has a proven record of supporting gun rights by helping pass HB 650, Castle Doctrine.
District 47: Vote for Hise (R, ****)
District 48: Vote for Apodaca (R, ****)
District 49: Vote for Clark (R, ****). In previous Senate terms, he compiled a 100% pro-gun voting record plus a willingness to stick his neck out for gun owners. He is the clear choice in the race
District 50: Vote for Davis (R, ****)
NC House
District 1: Vote for Steinburg (R, ****)
District 2: Vote for Karan (R, ***)
District 3: Vote for Speciale (R, ****)
District 4: Vote for Dixon (R, ****)
District 6: Vote for Lawson (R, ****)
District 8: Vote for Martin (R, ****)
District 10: Vote for Bell (R, ***)
District 12: Vote for Dancy (R, ****)
District 13: Vote for McElraft (R, ****)
District 14: Vote for Cleveland (R, ****). They don’t come more pro-gun than George.
District 15: Vote for Shepard (R, ****)
District 17: Vote for Iler (R, ****)
District 18: Vote for Harmati (R, ***)
District 25: Vote for Collins (R, ****)
District 26: Vote for Daughtry (R, ****)
District 28: Vote for Langdon (R, ****)
District 32: Vote for Bynum (R, ***)
District 34: Incumbent Deborah Ross is a committed anti-gunner. It might be symbolic, but vote for write-in candidate Apryl Major, who has vowed to support your rights. Yes, you will have to add her name to the ballot yourself.
District 36: Vote for Dollar (R, ***)
District 37: Incumbent Republican (and House Majority Leader) Paul “Skip” Stam has done his best to undermine gun rights. He tried to gut Castle Doctrine, and weakened omnibus pro-gun bill HB 650. His Democrat opponent, Jason Wunsch (D, 0-star) is undoubtedly also anti-gun and will undoubtedly lose the race. That said, GRNC asks you to vote for Wunsch to send a message to GOP leadership that RINOs like Stam will not be tolerated.
District 40: Vote for Avila (R, ****)
District 41: Tom Murry is ranked at 4 stars, but only because he “walked” on every difficult vote. After voting on only 3 of the 11 gun votes in the NC House, he then pronounced himself a gun rights supporter – this after GRNC mailed for him in 2010. GRNC-PVF recommends that you not cast a vote in this race, and then tell him why you didn’t by going to: http://votemurry.com/contact
District 44: Vote for Button (R, ****)
District 45: Vote for Szoka (R, ****)
District 46: Incumbent Republican Gaston Pridgen voted against gun owners by voting to weaken the measure in HB 650 which expanded concealed carry to parks. GRNC-PVF recommends that you not cast a vote in this race, and then tell him why you didn’t by sending him a message at: glpridgen@bellsouth.net
District 50: Vote for Chaney (R, ****)
District 51: Vote for Stone (R, ****)
District 52: Vote for Boles (R, ****)
District 53: Vote for incumbent Republican David Lewis, but with this caveat: Contact him and ask him why, after telling GRNC he would never vote against gun owners, he did so once in 2011 when he voted to weaken parks carry. Reach him at: http://www.davidlewis.org/contact/
District 54: Vote for Wright (R, ***)
District 55: Vote for Brody (U, ***). Note that he is unaffiliated, so a straight party vote won’t catch him. Vote him separately
District 61: Vote for Faircloth (R, ***)
District 62: Vote for Blust (R, ****)
District 64: Riddell (R, ***)
District 65: Vote for Jones (R, ****)
District 67: Vote for Burr (R, ****)
District 70: Vote for Hurley (R, ****)
District 71: Vote for McCann (R, ****)
District 72: Vote for Mellies (R, ****)
District 73: Vote for Hollo (R, ****)
District 74: Vote for Conrad (R, ***)
District 76: Vote for Ford (R, ****)
District 77: Vote for Warren (R, ****)
District 79: Vote for Howard (R, ****)
District 80: Vote for Dockham (R, ****)
District 81: Vote for Brown (R, ****)
District 82: Vote for Pittman (R, ***)
District 83: Vote for Johnson (R, ****)
District 85: Vote for Gillespie (R, ****)
District 86: Vote for Blackwell (R, ****)
District 87: Vote for Starnes (R, ****)
District 89: Vote for Setzer (R, ****)
District 90: Vote for Stevens (R, ****)
District 91: Vote for Holloway (R, ****)
District 92: Vote for Jeter (R, ****)
District 93: Vote for Jordan (R, ****)
District 94: Vote for Elmore (R, ****)
District 95: Vote for Brawley (R, ****)
District 97: Vote for Saine (R, ****)
District 98: Vote for Tillis (R, ****)
District 103: Vote for Brawley (R, ****)
District 104: Vote for Samuelson (R, ***)
District 108: Vote for Torbett (R, ****)
District 109: Vote for Bumgardner (R, ****)
District 110: Vote for Hastings (R, ****), who has fought tenaciously for gun rights in his first term.
District 111: Vote for Moore (R, ****), who has long been a gun rights leader.
District 112: Vote for Hager (R, ****)
District 115: Vote for Ramsey (R, ****)
District 116: Vote for Moffitt (R, ****). Opponent Democrat Whilden also earned 4 stars, but only on the basis of one relatively easy vote. Moffitt voted for gun owners 11 times in 2011 alone
District 117: Incumbent Chuck McGrady R, 0-star) twice voted against gun owners last year, and orchestrated the weakening of pro-gun legislation. Afterward, he was caught on videotape bragging about it to a leftist group. Tell him why you won’t be casting a vote in this race at: http://www.chuckmcgrady.com/index.php?option=com_smartformer&Itemid=65
District 118: Vote for Presnell (R, ***)
District 120: Vote for West (R, ****)
I notice that they didn’t make a recommendation in my house district (No. 119). Surprisingly for western North Carolina, neither the Democrat, former State Senator Joe Sam Queen (***), nor the Republican, Mike Clampitt (**), are really great on firearms issues. That said, I think personally that Queen would make a more effective representative in Raleigh given his prior experience. Clampitt is the ex-husband of a client and I think I should just leave it at that.
I have to add a correction. This isn't Grass Roots North Carolina. GRNC is a 501C4, and may not conduct direct electioneering communication. The recommendations are from Grass Roots North Carolina-Political Victory Fund. GRNC-PVF is the Political Action Committee, and all actions of GRNC-PVF are paid for solely by GRNC-PVF. GRNC does not use donations nor membership dues to fund GRNC-PVF.
@Sean: Thanks for catching that. I'll update this and make a correction.
In politics as in religion, my tenets are few and simple. The leading one of which, and indeed that which embraces most others, is to be honest and just ourselves and to exact it from others, meddling as little as possible in their affairs where our own are not involved. If this maxim was generally adopted, wars would cease and our swords would soon be converted into reap hooks and our harvests be more peaceful, abundant, and happy.
John, that is a lot of information. Good job and thank you.
Rob