Liberals may gain in Rand's departure

RALEIGH -- State Sen. Tony Rand had several important roles at the legislature - majority leader, chairman of the rules committee that determines when and how legislation will be considered, member of the committee that writes the state budget.

Many senators, even Rand's fellow Democrats, say all those roles put too much power in the hands of one legislator.

And with Rand announcing this week that he is resigning after more than two decades in the Senate, lawmakers say it's time to spread power around the chamber.

"It'll be a better day when we don't have that much power invested in one person," said Sen. John Snow, a Democrat from Murphy. "Not because he did anything wrong, but it's better to have the power spread among more people."

Such a shift, though, could have implications beyond who gets the best seats in the Senate chamber.

The majority controls what legislation even comes to a vote, much less passes. And those decisions, while made as a party caucus, are largely directed from the top leadership posts. The new majority leader's personality and politics will help shape those choices.

The two candidates identified Thursday by several Democratic senators - Sens. Martin Nesbitt of Asheville and Dan Clodfelter of Charlotte - are viewed as part of the more liberal side of the Democratic caucus. That wing of the party this year pushed through more liberal pieces of legislation, such as specifically protecting gay students from bullying and expanding sex education.

Greater ideological diversity in the leadership and a diffusion of power could strengthen the Democratic caucus but also could generate greater debates. The prospect of Democratic infighting has Republicans grinning after watching in past years as splintered groups of Democrats in the House tried to form a coalition with Republicans, and in one instance succeeded.

"It could go so many different directions," said Sen. Tom Apodaca, a Hendersonville Republican who has not announced whether he is running for re-election. "It has piqued my interest in returning."

Neither Nesbitt nor Clodfelter returned calls Thursday.

Rand and President Pro Tem Marc Basnight formed the nucleus of the Senate leadership for nearly a decade, often a good cop/bad cop structure with Rand playing the bad cop. Both worked as business-oriented Democrats pushing to lower the corporate tax rate and use incentives to lure new companies to the state. Both backed the lottery when it passed in 2005.

With either Nesbitt or Clodfelter, the politics of the majority leader are bound to veer left from Rand.

"The makeup of the Senate today is a lot different than it was in 1999," said Sen. David Hoyle, a Gaston County Democrat and part of Basnight's leadership team. "It's a lot more leaning toward the liberal element of the party."

Nesbitt and Clodfelter opposed the lottery. Nesbitt exhibits a streak of mountain populism, such as when he leads arguments to protect Medicaid benefits. The conservative Civitas Institute recently listed senators in order of how conservatively they voted. Nesbitt was at the bottom. The previous year, though, he was in the middle.

"You look at the fact that he's ranked as the most liberal senator," said Sen. Linda Garrou, a Winston-Salem Democrat and appropriations chair. "That's not who I see we need as the leader of the caucus."

Clodfelter was 31st among the 50 senators, ranked from most conservative to least. The previous year he was ranked 21st.

Either would have a portfolio and style that differ from those of Rand, who held the post for nearly a decade.

"We're in for a bigger change than we've seen in quite a while," said Sen. Tony Foriest, a Democrat from Graham.

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