Ty Harrell

Please join us this evening for a live-blog chat with Ty Harrell, the Representative for North Carolina's State House District 41. Ty is one of the first African American elected officials to represent a majority white district, if not the first. His district leans Republican, and he campaigned with a progressive platform at GOP events.

If you aren't able to join us this evening at 7:00 p.m., please leave your questions on this thread.

Apex Town Councilman Bryan Gossage sent his first shot across NC Representative Ty Harrell's bow last week in their race for the NC 41 seat. It's too bad he didn't do a better job of fact checking.

There are countless reasons for thoughtful people to reject the philosophies of the Party of Greed, but Mr. Russell Capps today nails the heart of the matter: Republicans hate democracy. Why else in an interview with the News and Observer would the bizarre representative from Wake County say such a perverse thing as:

If turnout is low, we (Republicans) win.

Republicans do not represent the interests of people, they represent the interests of the monied and power elite. They have no stake in more participation in democracy, they win only when their extremist minority gets engaged. Republicans don't care about voters, they care about profits for corporations. Which accounts for their methodical suppression of voters all across America.

http://andrewjacksondem.com

In the campaign for North Carolina's 41st State House District, the choice could not be more clear. The voters of the 41st District have before them two candidates whom represent the future and the past. The sharp contrasts reflect the transformation happening in the Tar Heel state as North Carolina transitions from a ruarl-agrarian economy to one of a high-tech information based.

Democrat Ty Harrell, the "can-do" candidate, demonstrates a vast knowledge of the issues that face his constituents and the state of North Carolina. He is passionate about making a difference in the lives of people and there is no doubt he will be an effective leader for the folks living in NC House District 41.

Republican Russell Capps, the reactionary Representative "NO", has proven himself to be too extreme and out of touch with the needs of a district growing in population and diversity. His brand of politics is a link to the Old South past, where government protected the interests of the landed gentry while ignoring the plight of the masses. Capps is ineffective as a legislator and his district suffers by his ineptness to understand the issues shaping the future of North Carolina (his only legisltiave accomplishment was HB829, 2005 Displaying Government Flags).

Despite the widespread use of the term "Triangle" to refer to the Raleigh-Durham area, there is no real Triangle to speak of when it comes to politics. Not only are we divided into three Congressional districts, the dynamics of our legislative races are wide ranging and tightly focused in individual districts.

Most of the real action this year is in Wake County, where two races in particular are up for grabs. In District 36, progressive Greer Beaty is challenging Nelson Dollar, a run-of-the-mill Republican government-hater whose website perpetuates right-wing lies about North Carolina's tax rates. Dollar also spouts the Puppetmaster's delusions about using lottery proceeds to pay for badly needed school construction. As Chris Fitzsimon at NC Policy Watch says, this is just more deception by Republicans about the lottery.

In District 41, Ty Harrell is a bright new progressive face challenging the homophobic, xenophobic wacko named Russell Capps who currently holds the seat.

According to one insider, "the results of these races will say a lot about where NC’s urban areas are headed with the influx of more moderate GOP and independent voters." Here's hoping the so-called "moderate" GOP voters pull their heads out of sand and confront the reality that most Republicans running for the NC state house are kool-aid drinking Puppets hell-bent on destroying excellence in public service.

(There's more.)