Perdue's Absence Speaks Louder Than Words

By Linda Daves
Chairman, North Carolina Republican Party

In last week's only statewide debate, two candidates for governor debated the issues that matter to North Carolinians and a Democrat leader remained behind closed doors. This example of inaccessibility to public questioning and failure to address the real concerns of the people of North Carolina is an all-too-familiar sight as a Democrat power elite continues to run state government. Throughout her 22-year tenure in state government, as a powerful Senate budget leader and for the last 8 years in the state's second highest office, Beverly Perdue has been part of the problem. Just two weeks ago, she was promising in an ethics forum to set the standard for transparency and accountability. Last week, her campaign was rocked by scandal and she chooses to run and hide rather than face the voters of North Carolina. This is not leadership. This is unacceptable and we must break the cycle.

Beverly Perdue decries the inaccessibility and closed door meetings being conducted in the state legislature. Yet until this campaign, she has not raised a fuss or said one word about the conduct of the State Senate even though as Lieutenant Governor she serves as presiding officer. As Senate budget leader, she conducted the same closed door meetings and avoided the same questions and oversight we should expect from state government. Now, even in the midst of a campaign and asking the voters for a promotion to the top spot in state government, Beverly Perdue has shown that she is incapable of change.

There is no doubt that times are tough in North Carolina. Families are struggling to make ends meet. We are losing far too many jobs and not creating enough. Our education system is failing 30 percent of our children. State government is broken and unresponsive to the people because of a power elite with complete control over how our state operates. Excess and waste in state government have put the state budget and our overall debt burden in a perilous position.

Still, I believe that our state stands on the brink of great opportunity. I believe that our best days are ahead of us and not behind us. The strength of North Carolina is its people and only together can we work for the changes that state government so desperately needs. Electing Pat McCrory Governor will send a message to the power elite controlling North Carolina that their time is up. Enough is enough. We want a government that works for the people and not the most powerful. Our leaders will be accountable to us again. In this election, we have the chance to make a change. We must break the cycle of inaccessibility, corruption, and elitism that has insulated state government officials like Beverly Perdue and make certain that the people's voice is heard once again. I believe wholeheartedly that Pat McCrory is the leader we need to change the course of state government and that with Pat McCrory as Governor, the promise of North Carolina will shine brighter than ever before.