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Candidates have their say
by Johnny Whitfield, Wake Weekly Associate Editor
With primary elections just three weeks away, campaigns are reaching high gear. But some candidates still find that the best way to reach voters is face-to-face. That was the idea behind a candidate forum Saturday night in north Raleigh.
Voters from across Wake County converged on the clubhouse in the Bedford community for some ice cream, some stump speeches and a little one-on-one time with the people who want their votes on July 20. Candidates for Congress and statewide offices such as Supreme Court Justice and State Superintendent of Public Instruction were on the stump alongside candidates for county commissioner and District Court Judge. Susie Farrell, who organized Saturday's event, was pleased with the turnout which reached about 100. Each of the 23 candidates on hand got three minutes to introduce themselves to the crowd, outline their position and explain why they were the most electable candidate on the ticket. Alex Avila, a resident of western Wake County, was among those in the crowd Saturday night. He has attended other candidate forums, and he said the chance to hear from the candidates makes it easier for him to make voting decisions on election day. "There are so many candidates out there and so often they are saying the same thing. This gives me an opportunity to hear more from them," Avila said. He left Saturday night's event with a clearer picture of where some candidates stand. "I was glad to hear them talk about returning this country to some of the values that we consider important," Avila said. The candidates themselves were also impressed with the event. Many pointed out in their stump speeches that other forums hadn't drawn such large crowds. Graham Boyd, a Republican from Wake Forest running for Congress in the 13th District, said the forum is an opportunity to do several things. "Even though it's only three minutes, I try to give people an idea of who I am and what I stand for," Boyd said. But it was during the informal part of Saturday night's event that Boyd says he was able to make more of an impression. "It's always good to be able to shake hands with a voter and ask them for their vote," Boyd said. He also uses the opportunity to listen to voters and get their ideas on the issues. "Any good candidate should be listening to what people say. If they make a reasonable point, I have to be flexible enough to consider changing my position, but I can also talk to them about my position on issues that are important to them," Boyd said. Cindy Huntsberry, a Republican candidate for Insurance Commissioner from Smithfield, echoed Boyd's comments. "For a candidate who is running for statewide office it is certainly helpful to be able to visit with voters in a setting like this," Huntsberry said. Saturday night's event brought out 22 candidates or their representatives. Among them were Wake Forest candidates Chris Malone, running for Wake County commissioner; Dr. Jeanne Smoot, seeking the state school superintendent's seat and Boyd.
Last Updated On: July 1, 2004
Copyright 2004 The Wake Weekly