Aug. 31 — Sept. 6, 2016 Up Front News Opinion Cover Story Culture Fun & Games Games Shot in the Triad All She Wrote
6
NEWS
Ross puts Burr on defensive in tightening US Senate race by Jordan Green As the North Carolina Senate race tightens, national attention turns to Democrat Deborah Ross’ efforts to unseat incumbent Republican Richard Burr. Deborah Ross, the Democratic candidate for US Senate, joked after a meeting with seniors at a branch library on the south side of Winston-Salem last week that there were more press people than voters in the room. While many North Carolinians haven’t started paying attention to the Senate race, recent polls showing a tightening contest, concerns about the erratic behavior of the GOP presidential nominee and the potential for a string of GOP losses that could swing control of the Senate have squarely focused attention Ross’ attempt to unseat Republican incumbent Richard Burr. Ross’ Aug. 24 visit to the Southside branch library in Winston-Salem, where she spoke to a group of about 20 people, focused on Social Security and Medicare. “I care about making sure that our seniors can retire with dignity,” Ross said. “More and more, particularly [for] women who are retiring, Social Security and Medicare is all they have. They didn’t get equal pay for equal work when they were working. Or they stayed home with their families, which was very important, but didn’t get a pension.” Ross leveled criticism against her opponent for a 2012 plan he co-authored with former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn that would have privatized Medicare by giving recipients vouchers to shop for healthcare on the open market while raising the age of eligibility to 67. It’s a point that Ross has been hammering Burr on throughout the campaign. Burr responded through a spokesperson by noting that he was awarded AARP’s Champion of the 50 Plus award in August. Burr said the plan he authored with Coburn would have preserved traditional Medicare while protecting seniors from high out-ofpocket costs and providing flexibility. The session at the Southside Library gave Ross the opportunity to hear from voters. One woman suggested that the government stabilize Social Security by increase the cap on taxable earnings for Social Security above its current level
of $118,500. Ross responded Carolina, as part of a United enthusiastically. Against Hate campaign to block “Well, that is one of Trump’s path to the White my proposals,” she said. House, and has endorsed Ross as “There’re two ways to get part of an effort to give Demomore money into Social Secrats control of the Senate. But curity. One way is to have the Ross and other Democrats are cutoff at a much higher level. bracing themselves for national The other thing is that there Republican groups to respond have been studies that show to the challenge. In a fundraisthat people at higher incomes ing email sent out to supporters live longer, so they end up on Aug. 27, the Ross campaign drawing from Social Security. warned that the Koch brothers’ So there’s a certain fairness in “mammoth field operation is having them pay more in.” already in North Carolina knockA former state lawmaking on doors and passing out US Senate candidate Deborah Ross speaks to a JORDAN GREEN flyers thanking Governor [Pat] er with a crisp and upbeat multigenerational group in Winston-Salem. manner, Ross represented an McCrory for opposing Medicaid urban Wake County district expansion. It’s only a matter of heritage. But Burr has also said that he in the state House from 2003 to 2013. time before they try to swoop in and supports Trump, and appeared at a rally She has been a visible presence on the save Burr by burying us with ads.” with him in Winston-Salem in July while campaign trail, with focused events like While Trump has built his campaign offering only the faintest praise. the one with seniors in Winston-Salem, around resentments and fears surroundThe potential liability of the candiwhile also meeting with college students ing immigration, trade and terrorism, dates at the top of the ticket could go to discuss controlling student debt. Her Burr’s public appearances have generboth ways. Speaking to reporters after opponent had no scheduled campaign ally highlighted the role of corporations her Aug. 23 meeting with seniors in appearances last week and declined an in providing jobs while appearing with Winston-Salem, Ross criticized Clinton interview request. workers to project a common touch — a over the evolving scandal surrounding The candidate who has won the Sencampaign tack that wouldn’t have been her practice of transferring official ate seat currently occupied by Burr has out of place for centrist Democrats in emails to a private server as secretary of consistently shared the same party as the North Carolina only five years ago. state. presidential candidate who carried the “The economy is the No. 1 issue this “I would tell Hillary Clinton to her state, going back to 1980 when Repubyear, and it continues to be the most face that she handled the emails the lican John East rode Ronald Reagan’s sluggish recovery since the second wrong way,” Ross said. “It was wrong. coattails to squeak past his opponent, World War, and it’s companies like VolShe said it was wrong. The mess needs 50 percent to 49.4 percent. The seat has vo Mack that are going to really lead us to be cleaned up.” been swapped between the two parties out of this downturn,” Burr told WXII The contrast between the Ross and a couple times, with Democrats Terry during a stop at the company’s GreensBurr campaigns mirrors the presidential Sanford and John Edwards winning it boro facility on Aug. 8. campaigns’ presence in North Carolina, in 1986 and 1998 respectively. Burr won The visit initiated a spree of business a state where polls have given Clinton the seat in 2004, with 51.6 percent of and industry related appearances that a slight or better advantage since early the vote, when George W. Bush carried culminated with Burr’s appearance August. The Clinton campaign has North Carolina and won a second term at the Southeast Regional Aerospace unspooled a stream of announcements as president. Burr improved his margin Supplier and Advanced Manufacturing about surrogates talking up Clinton’s to 54.8 percent during his 2010 reSummit at the Benton Convention Ceneconomic plans, a roundtable with Latielection, a mid-term when Republican ter in Winston-Salem on Aug. 17. no and women small-business owners candidates were buoyed by the tea party These events have fallen within the in Raleigh on Aug. 25, and US Rep. wave. purview of Burr’s official duties as a GK Butterfield and Greenville Mayor This is a different election, with a sitting senator, but even as stealth camAllen Thomas promoting the plan’s polarizing Republican presidential paigning they haven’t necessarily been the impact on rural North Carolina on nominee who some worry may be welcomed by voters, as a slew of unkind Aug. 26, to name a few. Meanwhile, the too brash for North Carolina’s more comments on the senator’s Facebook Trump campaign has primarily relied genteel brand of conservatism. Burr page attest. on appearances by running-mate Mike has expressed misgivings about Trump “Oh really… you can tell it’s elecPence in battleground states like North on numerous occasions, including his tion time,” one woman commented Carolina — he spoke in Winston-Salem antagonism towards the family of fallen in response to a post about a visit to on Tuesday — to drum up support. US Army Capt. Humayun Khan and Industries for the Blind in Greensboro Last week, the Democratic-aligned his suggestion that a judge hearing a that highlighted the outfit’s role making group MoveOn.org announced plans to case involving Trump University should equipment for the military. hire dozens of organizers in eight key recuse himself because of his Mexican battleground states, including North