Holcomb eyes more foreign travel, possible LEAP District deals

Posted on by Tom Davies

Gov. Eric Holcomb is wrapping up his 24th international economic development trip, which took him to Australia and Singapore over the past week.

Holcomb told reporters Sunday night from Singapore that he might take more foreign trips before his term ends in January.

Holcomb also said more business deals could be closed in the coming months for the LEAP Lebanon Innovation District even as it has become politically contentious in the gubernatorial campaign.

Some topics the governor discussed:

Continuing foreign travel

Holcomb has made economic development a top focus of his last year in office by touting the state’s READI 2.0 program and hosting an international investment summit in Indianapolis.

The governor is scheduled to return to Indiana Tuesday from his 11-day trip to Australia and Singapore. Combined with trips to Europe in June, Brazil and Mexico in April and Canada in January, Holcomb will have spent 32 days on official trips out of the country so far this year.

Holcomb said that “there is no substitute for showing up” and that he was “seizing on opportunities that are set before us.”

“It’s pedal to the metal. Indiana cannot afford to downshift down my stretch or in 169 days, I think it is, when I hand the keys to someone else to drive forward,” Holcomb said.

“I suspect there will be trips in the future because we’re bird-dogging that work right now,” he said. “Now, if we don’t go, we don’t go. They always haven’t panned out. But we want to make sure that we maximize our remaining days. … It would be lazy, at best, and derelict of duty if I did not follow up on helping our companies grow and fostering an environment that would help new friends join us on our Hoosier soil.”

LEAP District projects possibly on tap

Holcomb shows no signs of backing off the LEAP District project near Lebanon, saying economic momentum is continuing throughout the corridor between Lafayette and Indianapolis.

“LEAP continues to draw interest and I am optimistic that there will be much more good news to share before I do hand over the keys,” he said. “It will be an oasis, if you will, of opportunity for people to find great careers that contribute to not only our state’s growth but actually to our nation’s economic and national security, and those are the type of businesses that we’re looking to locate in the LEAP District.”

The Indiana Economic Development Corp., which is overseeing the LEAP District development, gained approval in June to spend $59 million on adding land to the district as three companies were considering projects there. The IEDC did not identify those companies.

How Holcomb judges success of foreign trips

The governor said building relationships in other countries is important, both for helping draw interest in Indiana investments and for boosting Indiana companies that do work overseas.

Holcomb’s current trip has included meeting with executives from the Australia or Singapore operations of Eli Lilly and Co., Elanco and Penske Corp. 

He also met with numerous government and business leaders during stops in Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore.

“Hopefully, ultimately, we’re standing side by side in the state of Indiana and celebrating cutting a ribbon or doing a groundbreaking whenever they can get over to Indiana because they’ve decided to grow alongside us,” Holcomb said.

Major League Soccer in Indianapolis

Holcomb said he remained hopeful about the pursuit of a Major League Soccer expansion team in Indianapolis but is leaving that effort to Mayor Joe Hogsett and other local leaders.

“We hear in certain parts of the world, it’s global, but we hear it underscored fanatically the draw of soccer,” Holcomb said. “I just think with Indiana being such an international destination and has been for decades that soccer — football, as they would call it — would be another strong card for us to be able to play in terms of how sport and how the arts attract and pull people together and play into the livability of the community and the vibrancy of it. So I remain hopeful that those details can be worked out.” 

Tom Davies is a Statehouse reporter for State Affairs Pro Indiana. Reach him at [email protected] or on X at @TomDaviesIND.

Charge of the tinfoil hat brigade? GOP primaries hit on a new theme

Posted on by Andy Sher

As ultra-right Republican candidates and allies mount aggressive primary assaults on rivals in Thursday’s primary election in Tennessee, two of the candidates now find themselves under attack by independent expenditure groups casting them as unstable backers of “tinfoil hat” conspiracies that make them unsuitable for public office.

Both involve more than an element of political revenge. 

A political action armed with a $18,645 war chest is bombarding House District 65 mailboxes with a two-edged attack on right-wing conservative Michelle Foreman and Tennessee Stands founder Gary Humble.

The Tennesseans for Liberty PAC is funded largely by Tennessee Senate Republican Majority Leader Jack Johnson, Rep. Jake McCalmon and Susan Kaestner, wife of a former Williamson County commissioner. 

Two years ago, Humble challenged Johnson, R-Franklin, in a contest which Johnson narrowly won.

The District 65 mailer features Foreman, an attorney who moved to Williamson County this cycle after losing a Nashville-based House race two years ago. Her face is pasted into a white van alongside Humble, who is featured wearing a tinfoil hat, a longtime visual symbol of a term used to deride conspiracy theorists.

A mailer attacking candidate Michelle Foreman and Gary Humble. (Credit: Tennesseans for Liberty)

It assails both Foreman and Humble, who is backing Foreman. A political vendor he controls has been hired to work on her bid. 

“Michelle Foreman’s campaign advisor, Gary Humble, is a conspiracy theorist who believes the 9/11 attacks on America was an inside job committed by Republicans,” the mailer reads. “Michelle Foreman’s campaign adviser, Gary Humble, says Trump supporters are members of a cult. Michelle Foreman’s campaign is endorsed by the radical “Anti-Trump” Tennessee Stands Groups.”

Another slam: “Michelle Foreman has defended neo-nazi Brad Lewis on social media from criticism over his Nazi & white supremacist activities, saying they have a personal relationship.” The mailer also charges Foreman “is also friends with disgraced Franklin mayoral candidate Gabby Hanson, who was supported by Lewis & Nazi groups. Hanson lost her election the same way she has lost her two previous elections.”

While living in Davidson County two years ago, Foreman lost a House District 59 race to Democrat Caleb Hemmer.

The Franklin-centered district contest also includes Williamson County Commissioner Brian Bethard, seen as more of a moderate in the mold of departing representative Sam Whitson. 

Also in the hunt is real estate investor and attorney Lee Reeves who has the blessings of Gov. Bill Lee, a fellow Williamson County Republican. The governor this cycle has embarked on a mission to elect candidates in open seats who will support his quest to pass a statewide school voucher bill. Foreman opposes vouchers as does Humble. The money side of the equation is being filled by a PAC funded by the Club for Growth.

Johnson gave $5,000 to Tennesseans for Liberty PAC through his Jack-PAC while McCalmon contributed $5,000. Kaestner, who heads the PAC, donated another $3,000. 

A tinfoil trend?

The tinfoil attack has caught on in at least one other GOP primary, that being the House District 27 GOP primary in Hamilton County where a website is attacking “Constitutional Conservative” and Realtor Michele Reneau who is mounting a serious challenge to House Finance Chair Patsy Hazlewood of Signal Mountain. That’s left top House Republican leaders nervous but some local Republicans have jumped in to help Hazlewood. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, probably the state’s best-known conservative figure, has endorsed Hazlewood.

Among other things, a mystery website, nomichelereneau.com has now popped up.

“Vote No On tinfoil Reneau,” the site says, displaying a photo of a smiling Reneau with a tinfoil cap. “Too Dangerous for Tennessee.” 

(Credit: nomichelereneau.com)

The site accuses the challenger of being a “leader of a bizarre national group who pushes dangerous treatments” that include “curing dangerous infections like strep” and “even claiming COVID-19 was “caused by cell towers, not a virus, and could be cured by wearing a tinfoil hat. Seriously.”

The group cites Reneau’s role as the head of the Chattanooga chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a group that has warned of the purported dangers of soy. 

Another paste-up photo on the anti-Reneau site depicts the candidate beside a horse, both bedecked in tinfoil hats.

In announcing her campaign, Reneau stated she was running as a “Conservative Republican.” Hazlewood, she said “often votes with Democrats to oppose Conservative legislation pertaining to illegal immigration, medical freedom, freedom of speech, Christian values, and transparency in government.” Reneau aso cited the Tennessee Conservative giving Hazlewood its “RINO of the Year Award.” 

The site has hammered Hazlewood for months. Publisher Brandon Lewis in June said on the site he was sponsoring a fundraiser for Reneau at his home.

Reneau is one of several self-described “constitutional conservatives” running this year who have dusted off the tea party playbook to target GOP incumbents. Reneau and other hard-right conservatives invoke the term “RINO,” (Republican in Name Only,” to attack Republicans they deem less than pure. The term is a favorite of Brandon Lewis, a Hamilton County Republican and former Hamilton County Election commissioner who founded the Tennessee Conservative website that often slams traditional or moderate Republicans as “RINOs.”

Lewis also hawks a $297 prospective video training manual complete with workbook to candidates which advises them on messaging, fundraising, get-out-the-vote manuals, canvassing, digital data and voter data “acquisition management” to defeat incumbents. 

Lewis has come a considerable way since he publicly apologized and resigned his election commission seat in 2010 following his arrest and guilty plea to public drunkenness charges after he was found “asleep on the sidewalk straddling a stop sign, almost sticking in the roadway,” according to a police report. 

He later unsuccessfully sought an appointment as Hamilton County’s Administrator of Elections.

Wake Up Call for Monday, July 29, 2024

Posted on by Yellow Sheet Report Staff
Court rules committee’s wording for abortion ballot measure ‘partisan’ Arizona Capitol Times A judge on Friday ruled that a legislative panel must choose a neutral phrase to replace “unborn human being” in the publicity pamphlet summary for a proposed ballot measure seeking to enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution. Abortion ballot measure challenged on 2 legal fronts Arizona Capitol Times An anti-abortion group filed a lawsuit July 24 that aims to prevent a citizen initiative that would enshrine abortion rights into the state’s Constitution from going to the ballot.  Abortion top issue in CD1 Democratic primary Arizona Capitol Times With a sizable percentage of undecided Democratic voters in the 1st Congressional District crowded July 30 primary, abortion is expected to be the deciding factor.  Republican candidates for Arizona Corporation Commission Arizona Capitol Times Three Republicans are running to fill the three open seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission and would establish an entirely Republican commission if they succeed. Wadsack criticizes police, loses their union endorsement Arizona Capitol Times The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police rescinded its endorsement of Sen. Justine Wadsack, R-Tucson, who is in a tightly contested July 30 primary, after she criticized Tucson police for citing her for criminal speeding.  Winklevoss twins and crypto ties seek to shape Arizona Democratic primary race NPR A Democratic primary race for a U.S. House seat in Phoenix, Arizona, has drawn a curious group of interests: the Winklevoss twins of Facebook fame, cryptocurrency industry forces and Republican donors. Harris’s rise could roil Lake-Gallego showdown in Arizona The Hill With Republican Kari Lake and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) on a glide path toward their respective primary victories Tuesday, both parties are watching closely to see how the recent shake-up at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket could alter the Arizona Senate race in November. From coaching to cancer, Arizona's first female Olympian can take on anything The Arizona Republic Lois Drinkwater Thompson admits to getting a little teary as she watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Paris last week. Trump now endorses both carpetbaggers, Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh, in CD 8 The Arizona Republic In a last-minute push to get his guy over the finish line in one of the nation’s nastiest congressional races, former President Donald Trump on Saturday endorsed Blake Masters… Wait … What? Kari Lake teams up with Marjorie Taylor Greene. Genius plan to court moderates The Arizona Republic Kari Lake continues her outreach to moderate Republicans and independents, calling MAGA firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene “one of the greatest fighters in our country.”

Legislative candidate urges fellow Dems not to cross over into Republican congressional primary

Posted on by Erik Schelzig

Tyler Brasher, a candidate to succeed retiring Rep. Darren Jernigan in Nashville’s District 60, has sent out a mailer with an unusual appeal to fellow Democrats. “Don’t vote in the Republican primary to beat Andy Ogles,” it says. “A vote for Courtney Johnston is a vote for Donald Trump.”

Johnston, a Nashville Metro Council member, has been touting her conservative credentials in challenging the controversial freshman congressman. But some Ogles opponents are also hoping for a large number of Democratic crossover voters to cast ballots in the Republican race to help tip the balance. Anyone who votes in the GOP primary won’t be able to participate in down-ticket Democratic contests such as Brasher versus Shaundelle Brooks.

Shaundelle Brooks, Tyler Brasher and John Parrish

Brooks, whose son was killed in a mass shooting at a Nashville Waffle House in 2018, has been a frequent gun protester at the Statehouse. She has been endorsed by Reps. Justin Jones of Nashville and Gloria Johnson of Knoxville. Brasher, a financial consultant, is president of the Donelson Hermitage Neighborhood Alliance. His backers include Rep. Bo Mitchell of Nashville and Michelle Morse Jernigan, the incumbent’s wife. A third candidate, John Parrish, has yet to file a financial disclosure.

Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in the print edition of The Tennessee Journal on July 26. Read the full newsletter here.

The Brasher mailer includes an image of the Ogles family posing for a Christmas card with rifles and calls the Republican “beatable” in November. The winner of the GOP nomination will face Maryam Abolfazli, who has raised $174,800 through the most recent disclosure period. Ogles has brought in $691,100, while Johnston has led the way with $784,800 in donations.

Floodgates bolted?

While Ogles benefited greatly from heavy spending by outside groups in his 2022 election, the outpouring has been less generous this time around. Americans for Prosperity — Ogles’ former employer — has spent $212,500 so far, though only $93,200 of that has come in June and July. The House Freedom Caucus PAC spent another $57,700 either backing Ogles or opposing Johnston. Meanwhile, the anti-Ogles Conservatives With Character PAC has boosted its spending to $383,800, nearly two-thirds of which has come as early voting was getting underway.

The relative dearth of independent expenditures on Ogles’ behalf — the Club for Growth has been notable for remaining largely on the sidelines this time around — has led to varying interpretations. Ogles’ backers see it as a sign that the incumbent doesn’t face a serious threat from Johnston despite her strong fundraising numbers. Opponents view it as a sign that Ogles’ scandals and antics — he filed articles of impeachment this week against the Democrats’ new presumptive presidential nominee Kamala Harris — have worn thin in Washington.

Where’s the money?

The School Freedom Fund, the PAC affiliated with the Club for Growth, made a big splash by announcing it would flood the zone by dropping $3.6 million into key Tennessee legislative races over the question of school vouchers. It was already well on the way toward shelling out that amount through the day before the end of early voting, disclosing $3 million in expenditures. 

The outfit is involved in supporting candidates — and attacking their opponents — in three open House seats: Jason Emert of Blount County ($541,200), Aron Maberry of Montgomery County ($668,400) and Lee Reeves in Williamson County ($773,000). It is also seeking to punish Sen. Frank Niceley of Strawberry Plains in his Republican primary against challenger Jessie Seal ($522,200) in District 8. And it has plowed $520,200 into defeating Rep. Bryan Richey of Maryville, even though he has suspended his campaign for the Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Art Swann. (“They needed somebody’s head on a platter,” Richey told the Tennessee Lookout.)

A notable race in which the Club for Growth has not been playing is the contest between Sen. Jon Lundberg and challenger Bobby Harshbarger in northeastern Tennessee. The decision carries more than a little bit of irony, as Lundberg was the lead sponsor of the Senate version of this year’s bill to create a statewide school voucher program.

But after backing state Rep. Timothy Hill’s unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination in the open 1st Congressional District primary in 2020, the Club for Growth has mended fences with Diana Harshbarger and apparently doesn’t want to do anything to upset her on the federal level by going against her son in the state race. So voucher champion Lundberg will have to make do on his own, while Bobby Harshbarger — who has expressed reservations about the governor’s statewide “Education Freedom Scholarships” plan — avoids the group’s wrath.

Harshbarger raised only $5,200 from donors during the final reporting period before the primary, including $240 from Jeri Thompson, the widow of actor-politician Fred Thompson. Harshbarger loaned his campaign another $190,000 to bring the total to $380,000 of his own money that he has directed to his bid. He spent $227,000 during the period and had $27,300 remaining. The East Tennessee Conservatives PAC had not filed a report by the midnight Thursday deadline.

Humble pie

After nearly unseating state Senate Republican leader Jack Johnson in the Republican primary in Williamson County two years ago, conservative activist Gary Humble became persona non grata among many GOP lawmakers. That appears to be changing this cycle, as Niceley has hired a political vendor run by Humble for his effort to fend off a primary challenge in District 8.

Niceley has paid the company identified as Wave-Run Hard $7,800 this cycle. Other candidates employing the vendor include Michelle Foreman in the open House District 65 race, Monica Irvine for her GOP challenge of Sen. Becky Massey of Knoxville, Larry Linton in the contest to succeed retiring Rep. Dale Carr of Sevierville and Chris Spencer, who is trying to beat Republican Sen. Ferrell Haile in Sumner and Trousdale counties.

Sherrell’s struggles

Rep. Paul Sherrell of Sparta, who only narrowly survived a Republican primary challenge two years ago, is considered to be the most likely incumbent to get unseated on Thursday. Sherrell, a previous school voucher supporter who last week declared his opposition for expanding the program statewide (in part because of concerns it would extend taxpayer funding to “LGBTQ schools”), is trying to fend off White County Commissioner Robert McCormick for the GOP nomination.

Rep. Paul Sherrell, R-Sparta, attends a House floor session on April 11, 2024. (Credit: Erik Schelzig)

Sherrell opened his campaign checkbook in the most recent period, spending $34,000 and another $6,400 since. He is seen as trailing Republican primary opponent Robert McCormick, despite the White County Commission member spending only about $30,000 during his entire bid. A third Republican, Tim Lewis, has yet to file a report.

Ragan revival?

Rep. John Ragan has been put on the defensive in the Republican primary in Anderson County by former Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough. But the incumbent has clawed his way back into the race by attacking Scarbrough, who is now the executive director of the University of Tennessee’s Law Enforcement Innovation Center, for his past Democratic voting record.

Ragan spent $36,300 in the final reporting period, most of it going toward print and TV ads. The lawmaker received a $5,000 donation from U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s PAC to help get him across the finish line. Scarbrough spent nearly the same amount ($35,400). He received $14,400 from Tennesseans for Student Success’ Team Kid PAC.

Caucus funds

The Senate Republican Caucus has made $493,200 worth of independent and in-kind expenditures this year, including $214,000 to support Lundberg’s efforts to turn back primary challenger Bobby Harshbarger. Unlike its Senate counterpart, the House Republican Caucus doesn’t get involved in primary contests on behalf of incumbents. So while the lower chamber’s GOP caucus briefly ran its balance to over $1 million before spending $16,900 in the pre-primary period, the remainder won’t be available for any sitting member who might be on the ropes.

The same can’t be said for leadership PACs, such as the one controlled by House Speaker Cameron Sexton of Crossville. He made in-kind contributions of $8,000 each to Republican Reps. Rusty Grills of Newbern, Mary Littleton of Dickson and Chris Todd of Jackson, plus $6,000 to Patsy Hazlewood of Signal Mountain. House Majority Leader William Lamberth’s PAC gave $2,500 each to Reps. Scott Cepicky of Culleoka, Hazlewood, Ragan and Tim Rudd of Murfreesboro. The PAC also spent $3,600 on research and polling for Sherrell.

TEA money

The Tennessee Education Association, the state’s largest public school teachers’ group, has long been a potent force in elections. But the TEA is facing new challenges after lawmakers last year voted to ban automatic payroll deductions to cover association dues, a part of which went toward funding the group’s PAC. The TEA is trying to make a late splash by making $93,500 worth of contributions and independent expenditures in the pre-primary period. They include $28,800 for Niceley and $14,400 for Tucker Marcum’s campaign against Rudd. Another $3,000 each went to try to prop up Democrats Yusuf Hakeem of Chattanooga and Sam McKenzie of Knoxville.

Kansas Daily News Wire July 29, 2024

Posted on by State Affairs

Welcome to the Kansas Daily News Wire, your daily roundup of top state and political stories from newsrooms across Kansas. — Hawver’s Capitol Report/State Affairs

STATE

‘Communication breakdown’: Democratic infighting culminates with Miller attack ad: A recently released attack ad targeting House Minority Speaker Vic Miller lay bare the ongoing friction between Gov. Laura Kelly and House Democrats. (Resnick, State Affairs)

Topeka forecast to sweat through four straight days of 100-degree temperatures: Topekans will endure 100-degree heat Monday through Thursday, after having seen the temperature reach the century mark on two days so far this year, the National Weather Service predicts. (Topeka Capital-Journal)

Only races, new faces, changed places: Breaking down 41 legislative primaries: Aug. 6 is just around the corner as voters will make their decisions on 41 contested primaries in state legislative races. (Richardson, State Affairs)

Board of Regents hosts literacy summit: State education leaders converged in Wichita for Friday’s Blueprint for Literacy advisory committee literacy summit. (Resnick, State Affairs)

LOCAL

Statehouse Briefs: Supreme Court rules Finney County zoning process is legal: Cities and counties can enact zoning regulations without state interference if they don’t violate state statutes, the Kansas Supreme Court unanimously ruled Friday. (Richardson, State Affairs)

Olathe teen, 17, killed as he tried to help crash victim on I-35: A teenager was killed when he tried to help a crash victim on Interstate 35 on Saturday morning, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol crash report. (The Kansas City Star)

Court grants temporary restraining order in favor of Overland Park group in PAC case: An Overland Park advocacy group isn’t a PAC, at least not under a temporary restraining order granted by a Kansas federal judge. (Stover, State Affairs)

Athletes with ties to NE Kansas colleges in 2024 Paris Olympics: There are several athletes, and coaches, with ties to Northeast Kansas universities participating in the 2024 Paris Olympic games, including one connected to Emporia State, six to K-State and eight to KU. (KSNT)

‘Them vs. us’: Lawrence community members identify barriers between police and themselves: A diverse group of community members shared their perspectives on Lawrence police Saturday, voicing concerns ranging from how officers could show more compassion and preparedness in crises to making downtown feel safer. (The Lawrence Times)

Howey Daily Wire July 29, 2024

Posted on by Howey Politics Indiana

Good morning!

State Affairs reports Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun released a property tax plan that his campaign said would result in a 21% average cut in homeowners’ tax bills. Schools could be the biggest losers under the plan, education officials say. More news below. — Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs

Braun rolls out property tax cut plan: Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun said in a radio interview that his plan would return homestead tax bills to 2021 levels to wipe out increases that have largely come with jumps in property values over the past few years. (Davies, State Affairs)

Education officials wary of Braun’s property tax plan: Schools, which receive the lion’s share of property tax revenues, could be the biggest losers under the plan, education officials said. (Meeks, State Affairs)

STATE

Indiana leads 25 states in filing emergency appeal to halt EPA’s carbon rule: Attorneys general in 25 states have sent an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to immediately halt a Biden administration rule they say threatens to shutter the country’s remaining fleet of coal-fired power plants. (Ehrlick, Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Morales to host anti-fraud sessions in 4 communities: Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales announced “Shielding the Community” is “designed to empower Hoosiers with knowledge to recognize red flags of investment fraud.” Presentations are planned in New Palestine (July 30), Greenfield (Aug. 28), Noblesville (Sept. 3) and Zionsville (Sept. 16). (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)

Disaster loan centers open in Gibson and Posey counties: Businesses and residents in Gibson, Posey and contiguous counties may qualify for low interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration following damage incurred from storms on July 9, according to a news release. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)

Cigarette tax hike would help ease state’s Medicaid shortfall, leaders say: Employee health care advocates argued that a tax hike would help reduce smoking, generate additional revenue that could be used to help pay down the state’s $1 billion Medicaid shortfall and reduce health care complications that would in turn cut the state’s Medicaid costs. (Charron, IBJ)

Indiana State revises use of facility policy related to protests, encampments: Indiana State University has revised its policy to clarify the appropriate use of university facilities related to protests and encampments. (Loughlin, Tribune-Star)

Dozens of Olympians have Indiana connections: The first two medals the United States won came from Indiana athletes. (Cox, WTHR-TV)

LOCAL

SBA Administrator visits EMC2 facility in Indianapolis: The leader of the U.S. Small Business Administration described the Emerging Manufacturing Collaboration Center in 16 Tech as the perfect example of small businesses harnessing technology. (Mazurek, Inside Indiana Business)

Tippecanoe County health officer’s resignation peels back debate over public health: After two years as county health officer, Dr. Greg Loomis accuses county officials of dragging their feet, doing “such stupid things with so much enthusiasm” on public health. (Bangert, Based in Lafayette)

McCordsville Housing Committee looks to help teachers: McCordsville has created a housing committee in conjunction with the Mt. Vernon Community School corporation to help alleviate housing prices for teachers. (Jobman, Daily Reporter)

Westfield increases road impact fees for developers: The City of Westfield has adopted a public works policy change to address the effect of the city’s rapid development on local roads. (Simon, The Current)

Fishers aims to annex 994 acres, add up to 3,000 residents: Fishers is advancing a long-held plan to annex land along its southeastern boundary. (Bradley, IBJ)

Monroe County sees spike in voter registration after Biden’s election withdrawal: Monroe County Election Supervisor Kylie Moreland said she’s seeing a bump in voter registration after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. (Szpak, WFIU-FM)

CONGRESS

Young, colleagues urge administration to increase production of biofuels: U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., announced he joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of 50 colleagues to send a letter urging the Department of the Treasury to issue guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, which was proposed to increase domestic production of homegrown biofuels. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)

Congressional schedule: The Senate will convene at 3 p.m. in executive session to resume consideration of the nomination of Stacey D. Neumann to be United States District Judge for the District of Maine. The House is out.

PRESIDENTIAL 2024

Trump calls for US to be ‘crypto capital of the planet’: Former President Donald Trump on Saturday laid out his plans to wholeheartedly embrace cryptocurrency if elected for a second term. (AP)

Democratic vice-presidential wannabes parade for the cameras: If you turned on your television this weekend you would have a difficult time not seeing it: a parade of Democrats vying, fairly overtly, to join Kamala Harris on the presidential ticket. (The Washington Post)

America’s new political war pits young men against young women: The forces of American culture and politics are pushing men and women under age 30 into opposing camps, creating a new fault line in the electorate and adding an unexpected wild card into the 2024 presidential election. (The Wall Street Journal)

NATION

Fed’s preferred inflation gauge cools, adding to likelihood of a September rate cut: The Federal Reserve’s favored inflation measure remained low last month, bolstering evidence that price pressures are steadily cooling and setting the stage for the Fed to begin cutting interest rates in September. (AP)

Rural towns are aging, cash-strapped and in desperate need of workers: Local officials and government associations in many states say they face a persistent challenge to find qualified employees who want to work in a small town’s office. (The Wall Street Journal)

White House schedule: President Joe Biden will depart the White House for Austin, Texas, where he will deliver remarks and commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act during a visit to the LBJ Presidential Library in the afternoon. Following, he will pay respects to the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in Houston before returning to Washington, D.C.

SUNDAY TALK

Paris Olympics organizer says drag performance was nod to Greek mythology, not Last Supper: An organizer of the Paris Olympics said that the drag performance during Friday’s opening ceremony was a nod to Greek mythology, not the Last Supper. (The Hill)

Cotton says Trump’s ‘you won’t have to vote anymore’ comment was ‘obviously’ a joke: U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said President Trump was “obviously making a joke” when he urged Christian voters to vote for him in November and that, if they do, they “won’t have to vote anymore” because “everything” will be “fixed.” (The Hill)

Buttigieg says Harris not in charge of border: Vice President Kamala Harris “was not in charge of the border. The Homeland Security Department is in charge of the border,” Pete Buttgieg said. “She was assigned to conduct diplomacy with Central American countries, knowing that that’s part of the bigger picture of what’s affecting the border.” (Fox)

Schumer says Trump’s VP pick may be ‘one of the best things he ever did for Democrats’: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Donald Trump’s choice for vice president, U.S. Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, “seems to be more erratic and more extreme than President Trump, and I’ll bet President Trump is sitting there scratching his head and wondering, ‘why did I pick this guy?’” (CBS)

Insider for July 29, 2024

Posted on by NC Insider

YOU DON’T SAY

“I really love working on very complicated policy, breaking things down in simple-to-understand terms, and then seeing if you can get legislative victories.”

Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, on his lobbying plans after leaving the legislature. (WUNC Radio, 7/24/24)

Abortion Rulings

Gary D. Robertson and Makiya Seminera, The Associated Press, 7/27/24

A federal judge ruled Friday that a provision in North Carolina’s abortion laws requiring doctors to document the location of a pregnancy before prescribing abortion pills should be blocked permanently, affirming that it was too vague to be enforced reasonably.

The implementation of that requirement was already halted last year by U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles until a lawsuit challenging portions of the abortion law enacted by the Republican-dominated General Assembly in 2023 was litigated further. Eagles now says a permanent injunction would be issued at some point. But Eagles on Friday restored enforcement of another provision that she had previously blocked that required abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy to be performed in hospitals. In light of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, she wrote, the lawmakers “need only offer rational speculation for its legislative decisions regulating abortion.”

In this case, legislators contended the hospital requirement would protect maternal health by reducing risks to some women who could experience major complications after 12 weeks, Eagles said. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and a physician who initially sued offered “credible and largely uncontroverted medical and scientific evidence” that the hospital requirement “will unnecessarily make such abortions more dangerous for many women and more expensive,” Eagles added. But “the plaintiffs have not negated every conceivable basis the General Assembly may have had for enacting the hospitalization requirement,” Eagles, who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, wrote in vacating a preliminary injunction on the hospital requirement.

Unlike challenges in other states like South Carolina and Florida that sought to fully strike down abortion laws, Eagles’ decisions still mean most of North Carolina’s abortion laws updated since the end of Roe v. Wade are in place. GOP state lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto and enacted the law in May 2023. It narrowed abortion access significantly from the previous state ban on most abortions from after 20 weeks to now after 12 weeks. The hospital requirement would apply to exceptions to the ban after 12 weeks, such as in cases of rape or incest or “life-limiting” fetal anomalies.

Eagles on Friday affirmed blocking the clause in the abortion law requiring physicians to document the “intrauterine location of a pregnancy” before distributing medication for abortion.

Lawyers representing House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger defending the law argued the documentation protected the health of women with ectopic pregnancies, which can be dangerous and when ruptured may be similar to the expected symptoms of a medication abortion, according to the opinion.

But Eagles wrote the medication in a medication abortion doesn’t exacerbate the risks of complications from an ectopic pregnancy. She remained convinced that the law is unconstitutionally vague and subjects abortion providers to claims that they broke the law — and possible penalties — if they can’t locate an embryo through an ultrasound because the pregnancy is so new. The provision “violates the plaintiffs’ constitutional due process rights,” she wrote.

Spokespeople for Planned Parenthood, Berger and Moore didn’t respond to emails late Friday seeking comment. Eagles’ upcoming final judgement can be appealed.

State Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, abortion-rights supporter and 2024 candidate for governor, was officially a lawsuit defendant. But lawyers from his office had asked Eagles to block the two provisions, largely agreeing with Planned Parenthood’s arguments.

The lawsuit was initially filed in June 2023 and contained other challenges to the abortion law that the legislature quickly addressed with new legislation. Eagles issued a preliminary injunction last September blocking the two provisions still at issue on Friday. Eagles said last month she would make a final decision in the case without going through a full trial.

North Carolina still remains a destination for many out-of-state women seeking abortions, as most states in the U.S. South have implemented laws banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy — before many women know they are pregnant — or near-total bans. [Source]

 

Ballot Lawsuit

Will Doran, WRAL News, 7/28/24

The North Carolina Democratic Party is suing the state’s top elections officials, hoping to overturn their recent decision to allow Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the ballot in this year’s presidential race.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted 4-1 last week to let Kennedy on the ballot. Notably, the board’s chairman Alan Hirsh — a Democrat appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper — publicly encouraged people who opposed that decision to sue the board. He said he personally believed Kennedy’s We The People Party had engaged in “subterfuge” in its efforts to get on the ballot, but that the elections board was nevertheless legally bound to certify the party and allow him on the ballot.

“I am going to reluctantly vote to recognize We The People, even though I believe there has been subterfuge,” Hirsch said at the time, adding that: “If someone wants to challenge that in court, they are welcome to do so. I think they have a good case.”

That’s exactly what the Democratic Party has now done, claiming that the party is a flimsy cover for Kennedy to personally be on the ballot.

The lawsuit says allowing We The People to go forward in North Carolina will set a bad precedent, since state law requires a higher bar for individual candidates to get on the ballot than it does for political parties — and also allows parties to raise unlimited amounts of money from donors, unlike individual candidates who are strictly limited in how much they can take. It warns of other politicians taking advantage of such a loophole in the future.

“If the Board’s decision is not reversed, the Board’s approach will empower any candidate for office in North Carolina to circumvent not only the requirements for access to the North Carolina ballot, but also most limits on campaign contributions and expenditures, by posing as a political party.”

Kennedy’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did a spokesman for the state elections board.

Republicans, meanwhile, have pushed hard to allow not just Kennedy but also far-left academic Cornel West on the ballot, through his Justice For All Party. At the same meeting the elections board voted 4-1 to allow Kennedy’s party, it voted 3-2 to deny West’s party. That vote came purely along party lines, with the board’s Democratic members all voting against West and the Republican members voting to put him on the ballot. A trio of Fayetteville voters have since filed their own lawsuit against the State Board of Elections challenging its denial of West.

The lawyers behind that lawsuit are a conservative legal team that frequently represents Republican politicians in election-related cases. And on Friday the Republican speaker of the state House, Rep. Tim Moore, filed an amicus brief backing West’s candidacy.

“Following an organized campaign by out-of-state political operatives, the North Carolina Democratic Party and a partisan front group specifically formed to ‘coordinate attacks on third-party candidates,’ the North Carolina State Board of Elections refused to certify the Justice For All Party of North Carolina as a new political party,” Moore wrote. “In doing so, [the elections board] excluded the Justice For All Party’s candidates, including presidential nominee Dr. Cornel West, from North Carolina’s 2024 general election ballot. And they deprived plaintiffs of their right to cast ballots for him this November.” [Source]

 

Campaign Funds

Elyse Apel, The Center Square, 7/26/24

The North Carolina Republican Party is remaining open to joining the legal effort against Vice President Kamala Harris and her presidential campaign. Since Harris jumped in to fill President Joe Biden’s vacancy, her campaign has received $96 million transferred directly from his campaign. A number of Republican groups came together to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.

“We are supportive of the efforts led by David Bossie and others in this matter,” said Matt Mercer, director of communications for the North Carolina GOP. “Throughout the 2024 election cycle, Democrats in North Carolina have repeatedly ignored the wishes of voters and the removal of Joe Biden as their nominee is just the latest example.”

Citizens United, a conservative interest group, says the FEC must immediately review the Harris’ campaign’s “brazen misappropriation of campaign funds.”

Citizens United was joined by 17 GOP state and territorial parties.

Mercer said the NCGOP is concerned state-level issues, while monitoring the legislation against Harris. “Currently, we are focused on numerous pending litigation efforts,” he added, “but we aren’t ruling it out should circumstances merit our involvement.” [Source]

 

Davis Endorsement

Danielle Battaglia, McClatchy, 7/26/24

A North Carolina Democrat joined House Republicans in a symbolic vote Thursday morning that targets Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris as she launches her presidential campaign. The House voted 220 to 196 in favor of a resolution condemning Harris as a failed “border czar” for her work on immigration policy.

Rep. Don Davis of Snow Hill was among six Democrats who sided with Republicans Thursday. “After making three trips to the southern border, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of comprehensive immigration reform, including securing the border,” Davis said in a written statement to McClatchy. “As the Administration transitions, it’s essential to continue listening and stepping up efforts to address these significant concerns. Likewise, Congress must put politics aside and work together in a bipartisan manner to accomplish this.”

Just one day later, though, Davis issued a statement endorsing Harris for president. “The stakes of this presidential election are incredibly high, with far-reaching implications,” he said in a statement announcing the endorsement. “At the same time, the administration and Congress must address the concerns of the southern border,” said Davis, repeating his call for immigration reform. “These issues cannot be overlooked.”

Davis said Friday that Gov. Roy Cooper would be “an excellent choice for vice president,” noting that the governor is a native of Eastern North Carolina. [Source]

Saine Resignation

Colin Campbell, WUNC Radio, 7/24/24

While there’s a lot of focus on President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race, the biggest surprise this month in North Carolina politics has been N.C. Rep. Jason Saine’s decision to resign.

Saine is one of the top Republicans in the House, chairing budget committees and leading the recent legislation to legalize sports betting. Unlike the president, Saine is relatively young and wasn’t in any danger of losing his re-election campaign — he was one of the few state lawmakers with no opponent in either the primary election or in November.

But after 13 years in the legislature, the lawmaker from Lincoln County is stepping down in August. GOP leaders in his district announced last week they’ve selected Lincoln County school board chair Heather Rhyne to replace him.

He spoke with WUNC’s Colin Campbell about the move and some of the big issues he’s worked on in the General Assembly, as well as the challenges facing legislators who try to juggle the role with other jobs.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.

You filed for another term in the House and didn’t have any sort of challenger. What made you change your mind?

“I had a conversation with former House Speaker Harold Brubaker (now a lobbyist) six or seven years ago, just picking his brain about our legislature. I asked him, ‘How did you know (when to step down)?’ He said you just kind of wake up one morning and you feel complete, and you just kind of know that it’s time to move on to something else. And that’s a lot of what happened to me.

“I need to find something that will allow me to have more time at home. There’s opportunities on the horizon, and we’re looking at what those may be. I won’t make the final decision until I’m officially out of office.”

One of the challenges with the legislature has always been the low salary. You make about $14,000 a year, the schedule is sort of erratic and you spend a lot of time in Raleigh. Did that play a role in your thought process?

“It certainly plays into it. The scheduling is a lot of back and forth. I live three hours away; our home is in Lincolnton. I can’t just go home in the evenings and live a regular life. I have made the trek many times for a band concert or basketball game. You don’t get paid for that. It comes out of your pocket, so there’s $60 gas going and $60 gas going back. It puts a lot of financial stress on legislators.

“So far, we haven’t been successful in changing that. But it does play a lot into the thought process of legislators because you really are sacrificing a lot to be serving. We limit the pool of qualified applicants simply because we’re not paying enough for people to even cover the cost.”

What’s next for you career-wise? Do you have something lined up yet?

“I have fielded some offers and am talking to different lobbying firms. I’m also talking with a mental health company based out of Maryland that a friend of mine is the owner of. He talked to me some time ago about helping them with national marketing. We’re close to finalizing an agreement there, but it would still allow me time to do things like lobbying, which would keep me involved in the policy process. I really love working on very complicated policy, breaking things down in simple-to-understand terms, and then seeing if you can get legislative victories.”

Looking back on your decade-plus in the House, what do you see as some of your biggest accomplishments from your time serving the legislature?

“Sports betting — that was a huge one. I came to sports betting, not because I was betting on sports, but I came in from a place of working on fantasy leagues. When the Supreme Court decision came that allowed sports betting to be legal nationwide, it was a natural fit for me to be the leader on that.

“Child advocacy centers — they weren’t getting the funding that they need to operate, and I was able to help. We went from an annual appropriation of just a million dollars, and I think we’re now at an annual appropriation of $12 million that goes to child advocacy centers across the state. They work with our Health and Human Services Department and get great results for kids who need it most, who have been abused, who have suffered through things that are just unimaginable.

“Esports — it was inspired by our son who hustled me and my wife to take him to New York City for the Fortnite World Championship. After we got there, I realized, wow, this is way bigger than I ever imagined, and I can understand the money that was coming in from these tournaments, and Fortnite is from a software company in Cary. Why are we doing this in New York City? We should be doing this in North Carolina. So, we started working on it, crafting legislation that supports tournaments and big events, and we built an esports league with the help of UNC Greensboro.” [Source]

Convention Representation

Paul Specht, WRAL News, 7/25/24

When Jarrod Lowery was a kid, he never could have imagined someone from the Robeson County community of Prospect — a town with fewer than 1,000 people — speaking at the Republican National Convention.

Robeson was a Democratic stronghold. Lowery’s grandmother, Louellen, was the only Republican he knew who was politically-active. Family friends “used to pick and say she was the only Republican in western Robeson County,” Lowery says. And yet there Lowery was in Milwaukee on July 15, leading the nation’s Republican delegates in the Pledge of Allegiance on national television.

“Here I am, a Lumbee boy from Prospect, in front of 20,000 people and millions of people watching, doing something on the biggest stage that Republicans have every four years,” he said.

Lowery, 35, is in his first term as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He’s still learning the ropes of state government and building relationships in Raleigh. But Lowery’s presence at the state Capitol represents a years-long effort by the GOP to court supporters from the Lumbee Tribe, and his role at the convention signifies Lowery’s growing importance to the state party.

The Lumbee — who are spread across Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland, and Scotland Counties — are the largest Native American tribe recognized by the federal government that doesn’t get any of the benefits or independence granted to every other recognized tribe. The tribe has about 55,000 members, enough to influence elections in a state with a history of close contests.

Unaffiliated voters are the biggest bloc of voters in North Carolina, followed by Democrats, who have a slight edge over Republicans. In 2020, President Joe Biden lost North Carolina to former President Donald Trump by just under 75,000 votes.

In 2020, former President Donald Trump held a rally in Lumberton 10 days before the election. In 2021, a recruiter for the North Carolina House Republicans called Lowery and asked him to run for state House the following year.

Lowery is a self-employed public relations consultant. He served six years in the Marine Corps and attended UNC-Pembroke. He then worked for former Gov. Pat McCrory and Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, becoming a regional director of constituent services for both. He was also a member of the Lumbee Tribal Council and led his brother’s campaign in 2021 to become chairman of the Lumbee Tribe.

Lowery had run for state House in 2018 but lost to a popular incumbent. In 2022, the seat was open — and Republicans were giving Robeson County more attention. That January, the Republican National Committee opened an office on Main Street in Pembroke. Lowery won his race with 60% of the vote.

The RNC is now led by Michael Whatley, former chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party. A few months prior to the convention in Milwaukee, Lowery sent a text message to Whatley offering to help. “If there’s any way I can assist or help you with the convention, I’m at your service,” Lowery told him.

“Rep. Lowery is a leader in the Lumbee Tribe and the North Carolina Legislature,” Whatley told WRAL in a statement. “It was an honor to have him join us in Milwaukee for our historic convention and I look forward to working with him closely to deliver North Carolina for President Trump in November.”

Lowery said he feels a unique responsibility to raise awareness not only for the Lumbee Tribe but for American Indians throughout the state. North Carolina is one of 14 states that is home to more than 100,000 American Indians. The Tar Heel State has more American Indians than North Dakota and South Dakota combined, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

“I’m the only American Indian in the General Assembly,” Lowery said. “I am one of the few Republican American Indians in any legislature across the country. And so, I want to do whatever I can to move or to continue to make Indian Country issues priorities to the Republican Party.”

Lowery’s Democratic predecessor, former N.C. Rep. Charles Graham, is also Lumbee. He ran for Congress in 2022 and lost. Democrats hope Eshonda Hooper can defeat Lowery in the upcoming election and the party can win back support in the region, said House Minority Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham.

“It is incumbent on Democrats to go to every community across the state and give voters a compelling, affirmative argument for why voters should cast their ballot for us,” Reives said. “I am proud that we have candidates running in nearly every district who can bring that message directly to their friends and neighbors.”

Contacted about Lowery, Hooper said in an email that “Robeson County is already experiencing a lot of division and hate in our community,” so she did not want to offer any comment that would “cause more division.” She said it’s important to note, though, that Lowery isn’t the only elected official who has sought to raise awareness of the Lumbee and fight for federal recognition. [Source]

 

Community College Presidents

Emily Thomas, Education NC, 7/25/24

After months of discussion and proposed changes, the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) approved an amendment to SBCC code regarding the local college presidential reelection process during the Board’s July meeting. With a 13 to 6 vote, the amendment will become effective Aug. 1, 2024.

Historically, local boards of trustees were granted authority to reelect local college presidents. In the 2023 budget passed last September, the General Assembly added reelection authority to the State Board of Community Colleges.

Since January, the Board has discussed the presidential reelection process and proposed amendments to SBCC code to reflect the statute passed in September 2023. During their April meeting, the Board proposed an amendment to be voted on in May. At the May meeting, Board members added two clarifications to the amendment language:

  • “The SBCC shall not approve the reelection of a college president unless it has received a request to approve such college president’s reelection from the applicable local board of trustees, in compliance with this Section.”
  • “In consideration of the approval of the reelection of a college president, it shall be the intent of the SBCC to ensure that such decision is properly supported by the materials submitted to the SBCC. It shall not be the intent of the SBCC to substitute its judgment for that of the local board of trustees in such local board of trustees’ reelection of its college president.”

These changes required a 60-day period for public comment after which the Board would consider the public comments before voting in July.

During the July policy and governance committee meeting, the Board approved the amendment drafted in May. [Source]

 

Mission Health

Andrew R. Jones, Asheville Watchdog, 7/27/24

A broad coalition of western North Carolina doctors, patient advocates, clergy members, a state senator and others are calling on HCA Healthcare to give up the Mission Health network, decrying the level of care it has provided since its $1.5 billion purchase in 2019.

The five years since the acquisition of the then-nonprofit hospital system by HCA, the nation’s largest health care corporation, have been defined by “a marked divestment in staff, resources, and services,” the group contends. It describes the exit of hundreds of doctors and nurses and the closure or departure of medical practices throughout the region, according to documents obtained Monday by Asheville Watchdog that outline the group’s intentions.

The coalition, Reclaim Healthcare WNC, also describes “a culture of disrespect, intimidation and widespread fear of retribution,” on the part of HCA.

The coalition’s stated goals are:

  • Replacing HCA with a nonprofit owner committed to meet the health care needs of western North Carolina residents
  • Holding HCA accountable for its harmful practices
  • Restoring best-in-class care throughout the system

“We do not want the quality of our health care to be publicly traded,” one of the documents states. “We do want a restoration of the trust and pride Mission once held in our community and Region.”

The Watchdog reached out to HCA and Mission Health for response to the group’s mission.

“You should have what you need from us as we have provided you with information and responses the numerous other times you have reported on opinions from members of this group,” spokesperson Nancy Lindell said.

The coalition emphasized that the burden of HCA’s failures doesn’t rest on the backs of nurses and doctors, according to one of the documents.

“We have the deepest respect and gratitude for all the staff working at Mission,” the document stated. “The litany of problems are not on them. There remain pockets of excellence thanks to the dedication of those working within the system.”

The group’s plans are short on specifics, but it intends to achieve its goals by adding members, holding HCA accountable through state and local regulatory agencies, searching for innovative solutions and publicizing issues in the press.

The group’s leading members include Sen. Julie Mayfield, D-Buncombe; Bruce Kelly; Robert Kline, a former Mission board member before its sale; former Mission emergency department doctor Allen Lalor; Mike Messino, founder of Messino Cancer Centers; registered nurse Karen Sanders; Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof; and Miriam Schwarz. [Source]

 

Toll Scam

Richard Stradling, The News & Observer, 7/26/24

One of the latest scams designed to part you from your money involves your phone and outstanding tolls you supposedly owe the N.C. Turnpike Authority.

The authority, which operates toll roads in the Triangle and Charlotte areas, learned last week that people are receiving text messages telling them they owe toll money. The messages provide a link to a website where people are told they must pay their debt or face additional charges or fees. Both the texts and the websites are bogus, the Turnpike Authority says. The agency says it never requests toll payments via text. And it wants to remind people that the website for the N.C. Quick Pass program, through which people can pay their tolls, is www.ncquickpass.com/.

The toll road text scam is popping up around the country. The Federal Bureau of Investigation put out an alert about it in April. The FBI calls the scheme “smishing,” combining “SMS” or short message service, with “phishing.”

The goal of smishing attacks is to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or sending money to cybercriminals, the agency says. It’s not clear how the criminals choose their targets. In North Carolina, the phone numbers appear to be random, with messages going to people regardless of whether they have an N.C. Quick Pass or have driven on a toll road. [Source]

 

Asian American Voters

Paul Garber, WFDD Radio, 7/28/24

According to an AAPI outreach group, Vice President Kamala Harris’ emergence as the likely Democratic presidential nominee has energized the Asian-American voting bloc in North Carolina.

Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, was a native of India.

For Asian-American voters, the vice president’s candidacy gives them a chance to see someone who looks like them on the ballot, says Jimmy Patel-Nguyen with North Carolina Asian Americans Together. “They’re really hoping that her lived experience as an Asian-American and Black woman will bring a lot of that representation to the highest level of government,” he says. “And what that might mean for policy making and the issues that affect the community.”

He says those issues include cost of living concerns, reproductive rights and access to affordable health care.

Asian Americans make up about 4% of the state’s population, and the number is growing rapidly. Patel-Nguyen says high turnout among them will be enough to make a difference in tight races. In 2020, former President Donald Trump won North Carolina by fewer than 100,000 votes. [Source]

 

I-95 Delay

David Kennard, The Robesonian, 7/22/24

A spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Transportation told the Robesonian on Monday that construction on Interstate 95 has been delayed for about a year.

The original plan was to have construction done by May 2026, but significant issues with relocating local utility lines and railroad overpass upgrades have pushed the Lumberton section project back at least one year.

“All of this work has been challenging,” said Andrew Barksdale, spokesman for NCDOT. “As a result, the project has fallen approximately one year behind schedule from when construction started in late 2021. “The current estimated completion date for widening and modernizing I-95 from [mile markers] 13-21 is now late 2027,” Barksdale said. Barksdale pointed to a “number of issues” that have slowed the major upgrade and widening project. [Source]
 

 

Drought Conditions

Port City Daily, 7/26/24

With multiple counties marked anywhere from abnormally dry to being in a severe drought by the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council, recent rains have alleviated the conditions.

DMAC classified five counties in severe drought, 30 counties in moderate drought and 47 counties as abnormally dry this month. Roughly 20% of the state was in a drought last week, but now it’s just more than 3% as the state has experienced 2 to 3 inches of rainfall last week.

“Widespread, heavy rainfall has resulted in a one-category improvement across most of the state,” Klaus Albertin, chair of the DMAC, said in a release. “While the deficits from June and early July have not been completely erased, conditions have improved significantly. The rains from last week should result in continued improvement.” [Source]

 

Unemployment Claims

USA Today Network, 7/27/24

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in North Carolina dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday. New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 3,188 in the week ending July 20, down from 3,633 the week before, the Labor Department said. U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 235,000 last week, down 10,000 claims from 245,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Texas saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 24.9%. Kansas, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 68.7%. [Source]

Pfizer Layoffs

Jack Hagel, WRAL News, 7/26/24

Pfizer Inc. plans to lay off at least 210 workers in Lee and Nash counties following a failed clinical trial for a muscular dystrophy treatment that was being developed by the global drugmaker, and as demand for other products declines. The layoffs include 150 positions in Sanford and another 60 in Rocky Mount, according to the state Department of Commerce. Pfizer filed a layoff notice with commerce officials on Wednesday. The notice was made public Friday.

The company said the sites will remain active but that it’s ceasing certain operations at 4285 N. Wesleyan Blvd. in Rocky Mount, and at 4300 Oak Park Road in Sanford, where the company has produced gene therapy treatments for muscular dystrophy and two types of hemophilia.

Some of the closures have already begun, the company said in its notice. The first workers to be affected will work through July 31, but they’ll be terminated 60 days later, Pfizer said. The terminations will be permanent.

Pfizer spokesman Steven Danehy said Friday that the cuts at the Rocky Mount facility are a result of lower projected demand and ongoing site modernization efforts. He said the site would decommission certain manufacturing lines while transitioning to new product lines. The company also said it is shifting to a contract manufacturer for a portion of its business.

WRAL previously reported that Pfizer, one of the biggest employers in Lee County, was contemplating cuts in Sanford after the trial for a Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment failed to meet its goal of significantly improving motor function among boys 4 to 7 years old. [Source]

 

Diabetes Test

Chris Roush, Business NC, 7/27/24

A High Point-based biotechnology company saw its stock fall by more than 35% in after-hours trading on Friday after it disclosed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had halted a test of its diabetes drug. VTV Therapeutics said in a Form 8-K filing filed after the market closed on Friday that the FDA had stopped its phase three trial for its drug to treat type 1 diabetes because a “chromatographic signal” could not be resolved.

The agency requires a single in vitro study to characterize this signal before the program can resume. No patient had been dosed at the time of the clinical hold, and past clinical studies did not reveal any clinically concerning safety issues.

The drug that VTV is analyzing, Cadisegliatin, is an oral, liver-selective, glucokinase activator that the company says has been well-tolerated in more then 500 subjects to date. Their treatment has lasted up to six months.

“Patient safety is our top priority, and we appreciate the thoroughness of the FDA to better understand this signal,” said CEO Paul Sekhri in a statement. “We are working diligently with the Agency to resolve the clinical hold and resume enrollment as quickly as possible.”

VTV Therapeutics shares fell $7.61 to $13.59 in after-hours trading on Friday. Its 52-week high is $31.20. [Source]

 

Juneteenth Investigation

Anna Roman, The News & Observer, 7/26/24

The Raleigh Police Department is investigating a purported social-media screenshot that shows a Raleigh police officer calling Juneteenth a “made up holiday.”

“The Raleigh Police Department is aware of the post and is investigating,” according to department spokesperson Lt. Jason Borneo. “The post does not reflect our values as a city.”

The screenshot reportedly is from an Instagram story, or temporary post, by Police Senior Officer Daniel Twiddy.

“Juneteenth is a made up holiday,” according to the caption on a photo of Twiddy drinking a beverage at a Hilton Head Island resort. “Today is my birthday and it’s been that way for 38 years. Youre welcome for the day off.”

In 2021, Juneteenth was made a federal holiday to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. It is also a city of Raleigh holiday.

Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson released a statement about the post Thursday night. “The Raleigh Police Department is committed to instilling and building trust with the community we serve,” she said. “We expect our employees to hold themselves to the highest standard of excellence that reflects favorably upon the organization, both on and off duty.”

“The Police Department “celebrates the Juneteenth holiday and what it stands for,” Patterson said, adding she appreciated the many social-media users who brought the social media post to their attention.

Twiddy, who was hired by the Police Department in 2009, is on administrative leave “while this matter is being investigated.” [Source]

Attorney Property

Joe Marusak, The Charlotte Observer, 7/28/24

The lawyer for George W. Bush in the disputed Florida ballot recount during the 2000 presidential election is selling his longtime North Carolina mountain retreat for $15 million.

William Scherer Jr. led Bush’s team of attorneys during litigation over the Florida recount and “personally represented” Bush in the Broward County recount, according to his bio on the website of his Fort Lauderdale law firm, Conrad & Scherer. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately intervened in the dispute that involved a part of punch-card ballots known as “hanging chads.” The court ruled 7-2 to end a Florida court’s ordered recount, prompting Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore to concede the election to Bush.

Scherer and his wife, Anne’s 149-acre North Carolina mountain estate includes creeks, a waterfall and 40 acres of grasslands and pasture. Their Ridges of Steel Creek estate is perched 3,600 feet high, 11 miles from Brevard. [Source]

NC Insider Legislative Report

LB: LEGISLATIVE BUILDING. LOB: LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING

HOUSE CALENDAR

Monday, July 29, 2024

House Convenes at 12:00 P.M.

  • Reconsideration of Vetoed Bills
    • HB 155 (Sossamon) TITLES FOR OFF-ROAD VEH./LOW SPEED VEH. INSP
    • HB 556 (Wheatley) TENANCY IN COM./E-NOTARY/SMALLCLAIMS CHANGES
    • HB 690 (Warren) NO CENTRL BANK DIGITAL CURRENCY PMTS TO STATE

SENATE CALENDAR

Monday, July 29, 2024

  • Senate Convenes at 12:00 P.M.

HOUSE & SENATE: Reconvening allowed under provisions of SB 916, if no sine die adjournment previously adopted.

  • Monday, Sept. 9 to Wednesday, Sept. 11
  • Wednesday, Oct. 9
  • Tuesday, Nov. 19 to Friday Nov. 22
  • Wednesday, Dec. 11 to Friday Dec. 13

Other Legislative Studies and Meetings

LB: LEGISLATIVE BUILDING. LOB: LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING

HOUSE CALENDAR

Monday, July 29, 2024

  • House Convenes at 12:00 P.M.

SENATE CALENDAR

Monday, July 29, 2024

  • House Convenes at 12:00 P.M.

HOUSE & SENATE: Reconvening allowed under provisions of SB 916, if no sine die adjournment previously adopted.

  • Monday, July 29 to Thursday Aug. 1
  • Monday, Sept. 9 to Wednesday, Sept. 11
  • Wednesday, Oct. 9
  • Tuesday, Nov. 19 to Friday Nov. 22
  • Wednesday, Dec. 11 to Friday Dec. 13

N.C. Government Meetings and Hearings

BOLD ITEMS ARE NEW LISTINGS

Wednesday, July 31

  • 10 a.m. | North Carolina State Board of Education meets, 1 South Wilmington St, Raleigh.

Thursday, Aug. 1

  • 6 p.m. | The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality Public Hearing on Moriah Energy Center Draft Air Quality Permit, Vance-Granville Community College, 200 Community College Road, Henderson.

Monday, Aug. 5

  • 9 a.m. | The Board Development Committee of The North Carolina Partnership for Children meets, The meeting will be held via Zoom. You may contact Yvonne Huntley at 984.221.1242 or email at [email protected] for additional information.

Tuesday, Aug. 6

  • 9 a.m. | The Council of State meets. 1 South Wilmington St, Raleigh.

Monday, Aug. 19

  • 2 p.m. | The Executive Committee of The North Carolina Partnership for Children meets, The meeting will be held via Zoom. You may contact Yvonne Huntley at 984.221.1242 or email at [email protected] for additional information.

UNC Board of Governors

23 S. WEST STREET, SUITE 1800, RALEIGH

Wednesday, Sept. 11

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

Thursday, Sept. 12

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

Thursday, Oct. 17

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

Wednesday, Nov. 13

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

Thursday, Nov. 14

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

N.C. Utilities Commission Hearing Schedule

DOBBS BUILDING, 430 NORTH SALISBURY STREET, RALEIGH

Tuesday, Aug. 13

  • 10 a.m. | Public Hearing – Annual Review of Gas Costs | G-5 Sub 675

Wednesday, Aug. 14

  • 7 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for General Rate Increase for Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. | G-9 Sub 837

Tuesday, Aug. 20

  • 6 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for Transfer of Public Utility Franchise and Approval of Rates of HISCO East, LLC in Carteret County to HISCO I in Carteret County | W-1297 Sub 17, W-1344 Sub 0
  • 6 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and for Approval of Rates to Provide Sewer Utility Service to Currently Served Cape Ponte Village Subdivision, Additional Phases for the National Park Service, Harkers Island RV Park and a Fe | W-1344 Sub 1

Wednesday, Aug. 21

  • 7 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for General Rate Increase for Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. | G-9 Sub 837

Thursday, Aug. 22

  • 7 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for General Rate Increase for Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. | G-9 Sub 837

Other Meetings and Events of Interest

BOLD ITEMS ARE NEW LISTINGS

Saturday, July 27

9 a.m. | North Carolina Federation of Young Republicans Convention, The Farm at 95, Selma.

‘Communication breakdown’: Democratic infighting culminates with Miller attack ad

Posted on by Matt Resnick

A recently released attack ad targeting House Minority Speaker Vic Miller lay bare the ongoing friction between Gov. Laura Kelly and House Democrats. 

The ad was unveiled on Monday by Kelly’s Middle of the Road PAC and is aimed at keeping Miller from ascending to the Senate. Miller, D-Topeka, is entrenched in a hotly contested primary race with upstart candidates Patrick Schmidt and ShaMecha King Simms for the Democrat-leaning District 19 seat. Kelly recently announced her PAC is endorsing Schmidt in the Aug. 6 primary, as well as several other Democrats vying for House and Senate seats. 

Questionable content or fair game?

Multiple House Democrats were shaken by how Miller was characterized in the ad, which links his past actions on tax policy to former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s dubious tax experiment. Brownback’s tax bill resulted in state revenues plummeting by $700 million in the first year of the legislation, as well as steep budget cuts and credit downgrades. 

“Vic Miller voted to bring back the Brownback tax scheme with huge tax cuts for millionaires and big corporations — forcing families and local schools to pay the price,” the ad said, referencing Miller’s March 2023 “yes” vote for Senate Bill 169, a flat tax proposal. After changes to the bill made via conference committee, Miller opted to vote against it. Despite that, the ad implored voters to oust Miller from the Legislature. 

“I could have cited all kinds of bills on that TV ad against Vic,” said Will Lawrence, Kelly’s chief of staff. “He’s voted for a bunch of tax cuts that would have bankrupted the state. So he’s no different from Brownback in that regard.” 

In an interview with State Affairs, Miller said the legislation became untenable after it had been bundled with other items, prompting him to switch his vote to no. He characterized the art of bundling as “a device mastered by Republican leadership to put Democrats in an impossible ‘catch-22’ position.”

In the wake of the ad, Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, said, “It’s sad when family is fighting family.”

Rep. John Carmichael, D-Wichita, expressed surprise that Kelly launched an attack on a member of her own party, calling it “a very unfortunate circumstance.”

Carmichael said he was under the impression that Kelly’s Middle of the Road PAC was born out of a desire to puncture the GOP’s supermajorities in the House and Senate through the promotion of moderate legislators. Additionally, Carmichael believed that Kelly would only make endorsements in the general election in a quest to unearth moderate Republicans “who the governor could support.” 

“I thought that the governor’s PAC was not going to be participating in Democratic primaries with the funds they’ve raised,” he said. “And I was surprised and disappointed to learn that the Middle of the Road PAC has taken a position in [Democratic] races.” 

Carmichael went a step further, saying contributors to the PAC were misled. 

“I think that many of the folks who were solicited to donate to that PAC had no idea that their donations were being used to participate in Democratic Party primaries,” he said. 

Lawrence noted the PAC was never under any strict protocols precluding Kelly from endorsing or criticizing Democrats.

“The purpose of the governor’s Middle of the Road PAC is to elect common-sense candidates that want to do the right thing and aren’t selfish politicians,” he said. “And when you have people like Vic Miller and Marvin Robinson [D-Kansas City] who want to sit in these Democratic seats and do their own bidding and not work for the people of Kansas and their constituents, there needs to be change.” 

Blame game

Carmichael believes that Kelly changed her PAC approach after Miller’s failed attempt to alter tax cut legislation shaped by Kelly and Republican leaders Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins in the lead-up to the Legislature’s special session in June. Miller’s proposed amendment, rejected without a roll call vote, would have offered tax relief for disabled veterans. 

Carmichael and the remainder of the Democratic caucus were on the House floor preparing to pass the compromise bill when they were “blindsided” by the introduction of Miller’s proposed amendment, he said.

Rep. Kirk Haskins, D-Topeka, said he can “validate” the surprise felt by himself and colleagues on the House floor. 

“And that’s also based on the fact that our ranking member on the tax committee [Tom Sawyer] stated, ‘This is the first I’ve heard of it,’” Haskins said. “It did not come up in caucus or any discussions I had with Vic [prior to the vote].” 

“It was the culmination of long-festering frustrations between a number of people and leader Miller,” Carmichael said. 

Carmichael called Miller’s maneuver “an exercise in very poor judgment.”

“He did not let any of us know that he was intending to pull that stunt,” Carmichael said. “And it had the potential to disrupt a very difficult compromise. And for what purpose?”

Carmichael added that the general sentiment is “many of us are glad to see Vic move on — it’s time for someone new at the helm of the House Democrats.” 

“And it’s time for someone who can get along with the governor and the governor’s chief of staff,” he said. “As well as someone who will keep his or her caucus informed rather than being the Lone Ranger.” 

If not for Miller’s lack of leadership, Lawrence said, the bill would have contained additional property tax relief “and a better bill on taxes.” 

“It’s because of Vic and how he led his caucus members,” Lawrence said, adding that House Democratic leaders “undercut the Senate, the governor and good policy.

“Because they wanted to vote for any tax relief, no matter how expensive it was,” Lawrence said.

While Haskins declined to elaborate further on the infighting engulfing the party, he said he owes a debt of gratitude to Kelly and Miller. He added that he has remained above the fray and is “staying neutral.”

Communication breakdown? 

Miller, according to Carmichael, was operating in lame-duck fashion due to his imminent departure from the House — and because of that, his motives could easily be construed as self-serving. 

“As far as the House caucus is concerned, Vic Miller has passed us by,” Carmichael said. “He’s on the road to the Senate or electoral defeat.” 

But outside of Miller’s last-second amendment, Carmichael said he didn’t “find any fault with Democratic House leadership” during the protracted tax relief debate. Carmichael instead placed some blame on Kelly. 

“There was a failure of communication between the governor’s office and the House Democratic caucus,” he said. 

According to Carmicheal, Rep. Tom Sawyer, who serves as the ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Taxation, informed Carmichael that the governor’s office was “incommunicado” with Sawyer until the 11th hour of the session. 

“[Kelly] finally called him into her office, and apparently it wasn’t a very pleasant conversation,” Carmichael said. State Affairs reached out to Sawyer, D-Wichita, for comment, but he was unavailable. 

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle were rankled after being elbowed out of the negotiated tax compromise.

Matt Resnick is a statehouse reporter at State Affairs Pro Kansas/Hawver’s Capitol Report. Reach him at [email protected].

Only races, new faces, changed places: Breaking down 41 legislative primaries

Posted on by Bryan Richardson

Aug. 6 is just around the corner as voters will make their decisions on 41 contested primaries in state legislative races.

Republicans have 30 primaries while Democrats have 11 in a year when all 165 seats are up for grabs.

Most of them fit into just a few categories.

No general election challengers

Eight contested primaries will be the only races for some seats with no opponents in the general election. That includes crowded fields challenging Sen. Dennis Pyle, R-Hiawatha, and Rep. Marvin Robinson, D-Kansas City.

Rep. John Eplee, R-Atchison, and Craig Bowser of Holton are challenging Pyle in the Senate District 1 Republican primary.

In House District 35, Robinson faces three Democratic challengers — Wanda Brownlee Paige of Kansas City, Michelle Watley of Kansas City and Kimberly DeWitt of Kansas City.

Both of those races involve incumbents who have rankled leadership after voting against the party line on key issues. That has led to some backing from the opposite side of the aisle for Pyle and Robinson.

Four of the races will elect new lawmakers:

  • House District 4 Republican — Rick James of La Cygne and Joshua Jones of Fort Scott (replacing Rep. Trevor Jacobs, R-Fort Scott)
  • House District 10 Democratic — Zachary Hawkins of Lawrence and Suzanne Wikle of Lawrence (replacing Rep. Christina Haswood, D-Lawrence)
  • House District 46 Democratic — Logan Ginavan of Lawrence, Brittany Hall of Lawrence and Brooklynne Mosley of Lawrence (replacing Rep. Boog Highberger, D-Lawrence)
  • House District 62 Republican — Dorothy “Dort” Goodman of Sabetha, Sean Willcott of Holton and Dylan Keim of Seneca (replacing Rep. Randy Garber, R-Sabetha)

Two primary-only races involve incumbents facing challengers:

  • House District 77 Republican — Rep. Kristey Williams of Augusta and Doug Law of Augusta
  • Senate District 36 Republican — Sen. Elaine Bowers of Concordia and Robert Bonanata of Lucas

2 primaries

Only two races — Senate District 19 and House District 33 — have Republican and Democratic primaries.

The Senate race is for a new district created with the 2022 redistricting efforts. The district stretches from Topeka to Lawrence.

In the Democratic primary, House Minority Leader Vic Miller of Topeka, Patrick Schmidt of Topeka and ShaMecha King Simms of Topeka are running. Gov. Laura Kelly’s Middle of the Road PAC endorsed Schmidt (and three other Democrats), highlighting intraparty tension.

Republicans Cynthia Smith of Lawrence and Tyler Wible of Topeka are part of the other primary in Senate District 19.

In the House District 33 race, incumbent Rep. Mike Thompson, R-Bonner Springs, faces Clifton Boje of Bonner Springs in the Republican primary. Mathew Reinhold of Kansas City and Eli Woody of Kansas City are in the running in the Democratic primary.

Incumbents challenged

Twelve lawmakers — including Rep. Thompson — are facing primary challengers to retain their seats before a potential general election matchup.

The highlight of this category is the face-off between Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, and Rep. Christina Haswood, D-Lawrence, in Senate District 2. This is the only head-to-head primary matchup between a sitting senator, who is backed by Kelly’s PAC, and a current representative.

In Senate District 26, Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita, is running against J.C. Moore, a Haysville Republican who served in the House in 2019 and 2020.

The other races:

  • House District 41 Republican — Rep. Pat Proctor of Leavenworth and Robert Owens of Leavenworth
  • House District 42 Republican — Rep. Lance Neelly of Tonganoxie and Mike Stieben of Tonganoxie
  • House District 60 Republican — Rep. Mark Schreiber of Emporia and Will Spencer of Emporia
  • House District 65 Republican — Rep. Jeff Underhill of Junction City and Shawn Chauncey of Junction City
  • Senate District 4 Democratic — Sen. David Haley of Kansas City and Ephren Taylor III of Kansas City
  • Senate District 9 Republican — Sen. Beverly Gossage of Eudora and Bryan Zesiger of Lawrence
  • Senate District 12 Republican — Sen. Caryn Tyson of Parker and Stetson Kern of Pleasanton
  • Senate District 13 Republican — Sen. Tim Shallenburger of Baxter Springs and Sam Owen of Fort Scott
  • Senate District 20 Republican — Sen. Brenda Dietrich of Topeka and Josh Powell of Topeka

New faces

Twelve primary races involve candidates taking the first step in replacing outgoing lawmakers, including two House members running for the Senate.

Rep. Tory Marie Blew, R-Great Bend, and John Sturn of Ellinwood are in the Republican primary for Senate District 33.

Rep. Michael Murphy, R-Sylvia, and Bob Fee of Hutchinson are facing off in the Republican primary for Senate District 34.

A couple of former representatives are attempting to join the new faces after one-term gaps.

Steve Huebert, a Valley Center Republican who served in the House from 2001 to 2022, is running in House District 90. Darren Pugh of Colwich and Jesse McCurry of Colwich are his opponents.

Marty Long, a Ulysses Republican who served in the House from 2019 to 2022, is running against Benjamin Fuentes of Satanta in House District 124.

The other races:

  • House District 1 Democratic — Janie Jarrett of Baxter Springs and Paul Rogers of Columbus
  • House District 51 Republican — Megan Steele of Manhattan and Eli Kormanik of Alta Vista
  • House District 58 Democratic — Alexis Simmons of Topeka and Wendy Damman-Bednar of Topeka
  • House District 67 Republican — Angel Roeser of Manhattan and Kaleb James of Manhattan
  • House District 105 Republican — Jill Ann Ward of Wichita and David Hickman of Wichita
  • House District 107 Republican — Dawn Wolf of Bennington and Gerald Johnson of Glasco
  • House District 114 Republican — Kevin Schwertfeger of Turon and Steve Schweizer of Plevna
  • Senate District 17 Republican — Mike Argabright of Olpe and David Schneider of Milford

Primary races that don’t fit those categories

Six of the races don’t fit into the previously mentioned categories, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t intrigue.

Kyler Sweely’s Hutchinson residence was disputed, and he required a ruling from the State Board of Objections to remain on the ballot for the House District 102 Republican primary. Voters will have to decide between Sweely and Tyson Thrall of Nickerson as an opponent for Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson.

Echo Van Meteren of Leavenworth and Jeff Klemp of Lansing are running in the Senate District 5 Republican primary. Sen. Jeff Pittman, D-Leavenworth, awaits the winner in the general election.

Kris Van Meteren, Echo’s husband, also submitted her and Sen. Francisco as nominees for No Labels Kansas, which the Secretary of State’s Office rejected because he had no connection to the state or national party. The office forwarded a complaint to the Attorney General’s Office for further investigation.

The other races:

  • House District 19 Republican — Mark Hermes of Overland Park and Anthony Marshall Orwick of Prairie Village (incumbent: Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, D-Overland Park)
  • House District 48 Republican — Randy Ross of Overland Park and Debbie Paulbeck of Overland Park (incumbent: Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park)
  • House District 88 Democratic — Chuck Schmidt of Wichita and Veronica Gillette of Wichita (incumbent: Rep. Sandy Pickert, R-Wichita)
  • Senate District 32 Democratic — Lawrence Moreno of Winfield and Michael Soetaert of Wellington (incumbent: Sen. Larry Alley, R-Winfield)

Bryan Richardson is the managing editor at State Affairs Pro Kansas/Hawver’s Capitol Report. Reach him at [email protected] or on X @RichInNews.

Board of Regents hosts literacy summit

Posted on by Matt Resnick

State education leaders converged in Wichita for Friday’s Blueprint for Literacy advisory committee literacy summit.

The daylong event hosted by the Kansas Board of Regents featured a keynote speech from renowned neuroscientist Reid Lyon. Other highlights included an overview of the upcoming implementation of the new Blueprint for Literacy initiative, aimed at improving literacy outcomes for public school students statewide. 

Kansas State Board of Education members, along with regents, are collaborating on the rollout of classroom instruction centered on the “science of reading” and evidence-based structured literacy strategies. The plan aims to reshape the way teachers are trained in the area of literacy to ensure students develop the skills they need to make sense of written words. 

“Teachers [have been] trained in conceptual ways that may have missed the mark,” Lyon said, adding that “change is complicated but within our capacity.” 

Lyon, the former head of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said he was “fortunate and inspired” to be working alongside Cynthia Lane, the newly minted Blueprint for Literacy director. 

“She has quiet wisdom about her,” Lyon said during his speech.

Roughly 40% of Kansas’ public school students are not proficient in reading, according to state education officials. The initiative’s framework calls for 90% of third through eighth-graders to read at or above grade level by 2033. Overall graduation rates for the state’s public schools climbed to just above 89% for the 2022 graduating class but still sit below the 95% benchmark that state education leaders hope students can reach by the end of the decade. The bipartisan measure immediately equips the initiative with $10 million in funding.

Lyon explained that children enter elementary school at differing levels of reading proficiency, which he said is a product of early childhood interactions with parents or guardians. 

“Those reading below grade level did not have those early interactions with reading,” he said. “How can a person be proficient in reading when they are so far behind in the fundamental skills they need?”

Lyon said deficits in phonemic awareness lead to difficulties in decoding single words, which results in slow and labored reading. Phonics is one of the methods prescribed under the science of reading. 

“Without awareness of sound segments, the individual’s speech sounds cannot be mapped onto alphabetical characters,” Lyon said. 

During his PowerPoint presentation, Lyon noted that reading fluency is partly an outcome of word recognition and refers to the ability to read connected text “rapidly, smoothly, effortlessly and automatically with little conscious attention to decoding.” 

Matt Resnick is a statehouse reporter at State Affairs Pro Kansas/Hawver’s Capitol Report. Reach him at [email protected].

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