Dems tighten legislative grip; Black up by 7 votes

Democrats appeared to strengthen their hold on the state legislature Tuesday night, even as their House speaker, Jim Black, was locked in a tough battle for his Mecklenburg County seat.

Unofficial returns indicate that Democrats could pick up as many as five seats in the House, which would give them a solid 68-52 majority. Senate Democrats were looking to pick up two seats, which would give them a 31-19 edge.

Democratic leaders attributed the gains to strong candidates with an appealing message. Republican leaders said voters upset with the GOP-led federal government had shown little sympathy for several state Republican candidates.

“It’s looking like a tough environment as far as Republicans are concerned,” said Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, a Rockingham County Republican.

North Carolina government had its share of scandal as well, but it revolved around the legislative and campaign activities of one lawmaker — Black. Incomplete returns showed that Black had a seven-vote lead over Republican challenger Hal Jordan, an IBM software salesman in his first campaign.

Ran Coble, executive director of the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research, said Republicans hurt themselves on the state and national levels. Their infighting kept them from mounting contests in several competitive districts, and the anger at the federal government outweighed the scandal surrounding Black.

“It looks like the scandal involving the speaker wasn’t the crosscurrent the Republicans needed at the state level to counter the anger toward the president and the war,” Coble said.

The Democratic trend reached into the Triangle, giving Republican House members Russell Capps and Nelson Dollar tough races that had yet to be called early this morning.

The Democrats picked up a Senate seat in northwestern North Carolina, when Steve Goss narrowly defeated Republican David Blust, according to unofficial results. Both men are from Watauga County and were vying for Sen. John Garwood’s seat. Blust had beaten Garwood in the GOP primary and had been expected to win the strongly Republican district.

Along the coast, state Sen. Julia Boseman, a Wilmington Democrat, bested Republican challenger Al Roseman in a swing district, according to unofficial results. It was one of two Senate races that topped $1 million in combined spending by both candidates and their respective parties.

In the House, Republican incumbent Gene Wilson lost a bid for an eighth full term to Cullie Tarleton, a Democrat and retired broadcaster in a district covering Ashe and Watauga counties.

Republicans have not controlled either chamber since early 1999, when their four-year reign of the House came to an end.

Democrats control the House by a 63-57 margin and hold a 29-21 edge in the Senate. But Democrats have turned those modest majorities into a major fundraising advantage.

The N.C. Democratic Party, for example, spent roughly five times as much — $5.8 million — promoting legislative candidates than the N.C. Republican Party, according to campaign finance reports.

Much of that money came from Democratic lawmakers who were making up for the loss of support from Black, who had raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in prior elections. Black used most of his $1 million in campaign funds this year to pay for lawyers representing him as he deals with state and federal probes looking into his legislative and campaign activities.

Black faced more than a year of bad press stemming from his involvement in the state lottery’s creation; his help to former Rep. Michael Decker, the man whose party switch kept Black in power; lobbying work of his former political director Meredith Norris; and contributions from the video poker industry that, until this year, Black had protected from a ban.

Black has not been charged with a crime, but investigations into those activities have led to criminal charges against five people.

Andrew Taylor, a political science professor at N.C. State University, said if Black wins re-election, it’s doubtful his colleagues will give him a record fifth term as speaker.

Voters in his district told The Charlotte Observer that they were aware of Black’s problems, but that didn’t always translate into a vote for his opponent.

“One, he’s a Democrat, and I think he errs to my side. Two, seniority in the state legislature means a great deal,” said Gillette Ketner, 51, of Charlotte, a caterer and a registered Democrat.