< Previous page

Hackney said a general concern for the environment pushed him to run for the legislature in 1980, following in his great-great-grandfather's footsteps. He earned his liberal reputation by sponsoring many environmental laws, quashing bills that banned abortion and making many attempts to suspend executions so that the fairness of the death penalty could be studied. Hackney also has moved tougher penalties for drunken driving and domestic violence.

In recent years, he has moved toward the center by supporting the lottery and a $242 million incentive package to bring computer-maker Dell to the Triad. When the Carrboro Town Council unanimously sought state legislation last year allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections, Hackney said he wouldn't support it.

Still, conservatives were quick to point out Hackney's liberal voting record shortly after he was elected. The Civitas Institute, a Raleigh think tank, published a report accusing the major news media of painting Hackney as a centrist. "He cannot hide from his true liberal nature," the report said.

The institute's principal backer, former Rep. Art Pope, a Raleigh Republican, had a more charitable view of Hackney.

"He's partisan," Pope said, "but fair."

Businessmen's qualms

Being liberal is often equated with being anti-business, and Hackney's campaign for speaker elicited concern from business leaders. They mostly supported Rep. Jim Crawford, an Oxford Democrat who is a businessman and developer.

But two other pro-business Democrats and speaker candidates -- Reps. Hugh Holliman of Lexington and Joe Tolson of Edgecombe County -- eased some of those fears when they dropped out of the race and endorsed Hackney, said Brad Crone, a Democratic consultant. Holliman, who later successfully ran for House majority leader, said he stayed neutral in the race, but Hackney said that Holliman pledged his support when he closed his speaker campaign.

After Hackney became the Democratic nominee, he and Holliman met with business leaders to calm their fears. Hackney also met with Crawford and two other speaker hopefuls who ran strong campaigns -- Reps. Dan Blue of Raleigh and Drew Saunders of Mecklenburg County -- to assure them that they would be an important part of his team.

At his first news conference as speaker, Hackney took plenty of questions from reporters who were testing whether he would still push hard for the causes for which he is known. Hackney didn't back away from his personal views, but he insisted that his agenda would take a back seat to that of the House Democratic caucus. He also said Republicans won't be shut out of the legislative process.

"It gives people more confidence in government if you can do what you are doing in a civil way," Hackney said.

He also showed a side that his colleagues have seen for years at legislative conferences and other functions: the ability to crack a joke.

"I've been speaker for two hours, and the price of gas is already under $2," he said.

< Previous page