2014 candidate endorsement roundup

Endorsements can be a handy tool showing which groups and individuals have publicly thrown their support behind a particular office-seeker. In this post we’ve compiled what was provided by some of the Buncombe County candidates and collected by Xpress. And don’t forget – early voting ends at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.

For updates from the campaign trail stay tuned to the Xpress politics page.

N.C. House 115

Rep. Nathan Ramsey, Republican

• Buncombe County Schools Board of Education Chairman Bob Rhinehart • BCS Board of Education members Amy Churchill and Dusty Pless • State Employees Association of N.C. 
• N.C. Chamber of Commerce 
• N.C. Police Benevolent Association • N.C. Right to Life • National Federation of Independent Businesses/North Carolina • National Rifle Association • Asheville Citizen-Times • N.C. Homeowners Alliance

John Ager, Democrat

• N.C. League of Conservation Voters • former N.C. Gov. James B. Hunt • Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan • Carol Peterson, former Buncombe County Commissioner 
• Anne Ponder, retired UNC Asheville chancellor • Sierra Club (North Carolina and WNC chapters) 
• Asheville Firefighters Association • AFL-CIO • former N.C. House 115 Rep. Patsy Keever • Former N.C. House Rep. Marie Colton • Dr. Olson Huff • Public school teachers and administrators, including John P. McAfee of Reynolds and Betsy Milford of Fairview Elementary. • All of the current elected Democratic officials in municipal, county and state offices.

N.C. House 116

Brian Turner, Democrat

• N.C. Association of Educators 
• Buncombe County Association of Educators • Sierra Club (North Carolina and WNC chapters) • N.C. League of Conservation Voters  
• Asheville Citizen-Times 
• Equality N.C. • Planned Parenthood of N.C.

Rep. Tim Moffitt, Republican

• N.C. Chamber of Commerce • North Carolina Right to Life • Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolinas • National Rifle Association • National Federation of Independent Business 
• N.C. Homeowners Alliance

N.C. Senate District 49

Sen. Terry Van Duyn, Democrat

• North Carolina Association of Educators • Sierra Club (North Carolina and WNC chapters) 
• N.C. Medical Society • N.C. Police Benevolent Association 
• Equality N.C. • Asheville Citizen-Times • N.C. Rep. Susan C. Fisher • Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chair David Gantt 
• Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer • Asheville City Council members Cecil Bothwell, Chris Pelly, Gordon Smith, Gwen Wisler and Jan Davis • Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan • Buncombe County commissioners Ellen Frost, Holly Jones and Brownie Newman • Asheville Vice Mayor Marc Hunt • Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger • former Buncombe County Commissioner Bill Stanley • Lillian’s List 
• National Organization for Women • N.C. Hospital Association • N.C. League of Conservation Voters 
• N.C. Medical Society PAC • N.C. Police Benevolent Association Inc • N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association • Rural Electric Action Program • State Employees Association of N.C. • Western N.C. Labor Council and N.C. State AFL-CIO • Boone Mayor Andy Ball • Ron Bucher • Michael DeBruhl Blankenship • Dr. Olson Huff (consultant to the Mission Hospital Health Care Foundation) • former N.C. House Rep. Patsy Keever • former N.C. Rep. Jane Whilden • Jake Quinn, Asheville, Democratic National Committee • Planned Parenthood of N.C.

Mark Crawford, Republican

“Although I have answered almost every survey sent to me, I hope that my experience and many years as an educator, small businessman, former legislator, combat veteran and coach will override any endorsements, or lack thereof. What is more important to me in this race are my past history of proven service to the people of my home region and my already extensive legislative service record. My hope is to have earned our voters’ endorsement through their votes.”

Buncombe County Board of Commssioners, District 2

Ellen Frost, Democrat

• Buncombe County Association of Educators • Western North Carolina Central Labor Council branch of AFL-CIO • Sierra Club (North Carolina and WNC chapters) • Woodfin Mayor Jerry VeHaun • Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan • Asheville Citizen-Times 
• Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer •  Asheville Vice-Mayor Marc Hunt • Asheville City Council members Cecil Bothwell, Jan Davis, Gordon Smith and Gwen Wisler • Black Mountain Mayor Mike Sobol • Black Mountain Vice-Mayor Don Collins • Black Mountain Aldermen Carlos Showers, Ryan Stone and Margaret Tuttle • Weaverville Mayor Dottie Sherrill • Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chair David Gantt • Buncombe County Commissioners Holly Jones and Brownie Newman

Christina Merrill, Republican

• Buncombe County commissioners Joe Belcher and Mike Fryar • former Asheville Vice-Mayor Chris Peterson • Mike Butrum, Government Affairs Director for the Asheville Board of Realtors  • N.C. Rep. Nathan Ramsey

Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, District 3

Nancy Waldrop, Unaffilliated

• Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan • Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chair David Gantt • Buncombe County Schools Board of Education Chair Bob Rhinehart  • The Buncombe County Association of Educators • Sierra Club (North Carolina and WNC chapters) • Asheville Citizen-Times

Miranda DeBruhl, Republican

“If elected, I want to be able to work openly with everyone, remaining independent from campaign endorsements.  I believe my support speaks for itself.  The margin of victory in the primary was substantial, and my fundraising efforts have been quite successful. The only endorsement that really matters is that of the voters on election day.”

Buncombe County Sheriff

Sheriff Van Duncan, Democrat

• N.C. Police Benevolent Association • Asheville Citizen-Times • Jeff Messer, 880 The Revolution • Reggie Young

Mike Bustle, Republican

“The office of sheriff must be representative of all citizens. I welcome support but do not seek out nor give endorsements. It is enough to be qualified for the office. My education, training and experience uniquely qualify me to be sheriff. My career speaks for itself.  When elected, I will be the sheriff for all people. I’m not a professional politician. I am a professional lawman.”

Buncombe County District Attorney

Ben Scales, Unaffilliated

“In order to remain independent, nonpartisan and not beholden to any individual or organization, as I believe the office of the District Attorney should be, I have declined and/or avoided requesting, up until this point in my campaign, endorsements of the type you have asked me to list. Your question, however, is a valid one and helps explain to the public the basis for a candidacy. Therefore, to respond to your request, I went to the only people whose endorsement for District Attorney I believe is important, and from whom independence need not be shown.  I have sought and obtained the endorsement of former elected District Attorney Roy Patton (30th Judicial District) and dozens of law enforcement officers who are actively promoting my candidacy throughout the county, but whom I respectfully decline to identify at this time, because it would be impracticable, and in some cases illegal for them to intentionally make public their support. Dozens of other noteworthy references from all walks of life available upon request.”

Todd Williams, Democrat

• Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan • Dr. Olson Huff (children’s advocate) • Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer • Buncombe Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger • N.C. Sen. Terry Van Duyn • Asheville Citizen-Times  • Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chair David Gantt • Clerk of Superior Court of Buncombe County Steven D. Cogburn • Earl J. Fowler Jr. (former Chief District Judge for Buncombe County, 28th Judicial District) • Gary S. Cash (former Chief District Judge for Buncombe County, 28th Judicial District) • former N.C. House Rep. (and former Buncombe County Commissioner) Patsy Keever (present First Vice-Chair of the NC Democratic Party) • Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer • Asheville City Council members Gordon Smith, Jan Davis and Gwen Wisler 
• Asheville Vice Mayor Marc Hunt • Woodfin Mayor Jerry VeHaun • Weaverville Mayor Dottie Sherill • former Buncombe County Clerk of Court J. Ray Elingburg • former Buncombe County Clerk of Court Robert H. “Bob” Christy • former Asheville Mayor Ken Michalove • Hall Fletcher Elementary Principal Gordon Grant • Rubin Feldstein (past president of the Buncombe County Guardian Ad Litem Association) • Susan Evans (past president of the Buncombe County Guardian Ad Litem Association) • community leader Gustavo Silva • Renee White (president of East End/Valley Street Neighborhood Association) • community leader Dan Leroy • community leader Amanda Edwards • Dr. Charles Mosley, senior pastor, Nazareth First Baptist Church • community leader Sheneika Smith • former Asheville City Council member Bryan Freeborn • Mike Sule (Asheville Bicycle Advocate and former teacher) • WNC Central Labor Council branch of the AFL-CIO

Buncombe County Schools Board of Education, Reynolds District

Lisa Baldwin

“My two endorsements are from Buncombe voters: 1) I did not seek endorsements from special interest groups. Instead, I sought an endorsement from the citizens of Buncombe, undergoing the rigorous vetting process of iCaucus. This involved a written test and an interview by a panel of Buncombe education experts and citizens. Then Buncombe citizens read my bio and listened to my interview before casting votes to endorse me: http://www.icaucus.org/buncombe_sch_bd. Other groups may choose to use my iCaucus Citizen Approved Endorsement, but they are not authorized by me. 2) I was endorsed by 20,817 Buncombe voters in 2010; more than 50 percent of the votes in a three-way race for the Reynolds seat.

Cindy McMahon

• Buncombe County Association of Educators • Asheville Citizen-Times • Buncombe County Schools Board of Education Chairman Bob Rhinehart • Sheriff Van Duncan • Jennie Eblen • Buncombe County Democratic Party

Buncombe County Schools Board of Education,  Enka District

Max Queen

• Asheville Citizen-Times • Buncombe County Association of Educators • North Carolina Association of Educators • Buncombe County Schools Board of Education Vice Chairman Chip Craig • BCS Board of Education Chairman Bob Rhinehart • Wendell Begley, among other current and former school board members • Buncombe County Democratic Party

Nancy Cooper

• iCaucus • Buncombe County Republican Party

Buncombe County Schools Board of Education,  Erwin District

Pat Bryant

• Buncombe County Association of Educators • Asheville Citizen-Times • former BCS Board of Education member Richard Greene • BCS Board of Education chairman Bob Rhinehart • Buncombe County Democratic Party

Stephanie Buckner

• iCaucus • Buncombe County Republican Party

Jason Summey

• former BCS Board of Education members Bruce Goforth, Mike Anders and Linda Summey (who is also his mother) • Buncombe County Republican Party