Verne Strickland Blogmaster / October 15, 2012
Price
D'Annunzio
Longtime Democratic Congressman David Price will face off against
Raeford businessman Tim D'Annunzio in the recently remapped District 4
congressional race in November.
The district, which was redrawn by the Republican-controlled state
legislature, spans from Alamance County through Chapel Hill, Raleigh and
parts of Chatham, Lee and Harnett counties to northern Cumberland
County.
Price, a former Duke political science professor, has served 12 terms
since 1987. He believes a strong infrastructure includes the re-hiring
of teachers, police and firefighters who were laid off during budget
cuts.
Price said he also favors a plan that, along with spending cuts, includes taxing the wealthiest Americans.
D'Annunzio, a Republican from Raeford, founded Paraclete Armor and
Equipment Inc., which he sold. He owns Paraclete XP SkyVenture and XPX
Armor & Equipment.
D'Annunzio's radio ads have accused the presidential administration
of socialist practices, and he advocates for a limited government and
deregulation of industry.
He also believes in eliminating many federal departments and
agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health & Human
Services, the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection
Agency.
D'Annunzio, who has been known for his machine gun social
fundraisers, made an unsuccessful run in the Republican primary for the
8th Congressional District in 2010, before redistricting. The nomination
went to Tim Johnson, who lost to Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell in the
general election.
The district lines have changed, but the issues have stayed the same, the candidates say. Jobs and the economy take top billing, just as they will in most elections across the country, Price and D'Annunzio said.
"Of course it's jobs," said D'Annunzio, who was backed in the primary
by We the People of the Sandhills, a Fayetteville-based tea party
chapter. "The state has one of the highest unemployment rates in this
country."
North Carolina's unemployment rate stood at 9.7 percent in August,
when the latest numbers were released by the state's Employment Security
Commission.
Cumberland County's rose to 11.4 percent, but other counties in
District 4 performed relatively well. Wake County's unemployment rate
was at 7.6 percent, Durham County's was at 8 percent and Orange County's
was at 11.4 percent.
Despite their differences, both candidates agreed the 4th District
was one of the more resilient and economically diverse in the state. The
district's territory in Orange, Durham and Wake counties is home to
technology companies, while Cumberland County has defense industries.
Because of the relatively sturdy economy in the district, Price said,
the region is an example of how government can help strengthen
education, help develop high-tech firms and nurture start-ups and
innovative ideas.
"It's a proven formula," Price said. "What's alarming is the arrival
(of politicians) in Washington and Raleigh who don't seem to understand
that. They have failed to learn that basic lesson in history."
D'Annunzio said Congress will be required to vote on legislation that
will affect the entire country, which has suffered in the economic
downturn.
"One of the problems we have is ever-increasing debt that's draining off capital and resources from private companies," he said.
D'Annunzio said the country operates on a type of budgeting system that involves increases already programmed into the system.
"What we need to do is get rid of base-line budgeting," he said.
D'Annunzio also said he believes in "orderly downsizing."
Price, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee and is the
ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee,
has supported bills for affordable housing and to allow families to
deduct interest on student loans and make penalty-free IRA withdrawals
for education.
"It's important for our country to invest in its people," Price said.
"I also happen to believe that expanding the economy is the best
solution to the deficit. You can't cut your way to prosperity."
U.S. House District 4
DAVID E. PRICE (I)
Party: Democrat
Home: Chapel Hill
Age: 72
Occupation: Educator and U.S. representative
Elected offices: U.S. House, 12 terms (1987-1995, 1997-present)
Family: Wife, Lisa; two children
Contacts: 919-854-4155, david@pricecampaign.com, priceforcongress.com, facebook.com/david-price, Twitter: DPrice4Congress
TIM D'ANNUNZIO
Party: Republican
Home: Raeford
Age: 54
Occupation: Owner, XPX Armor & Equipment/Paraclete XP
Elected offices: None
Family: Wife, Colleen; six children
Contacts: 910-222-4461, info@timvote.com, facebook.com/tim.dannunzio
Staff writer Jennifer Calhoun can be reached at 486-3595.
called the Crowley point “arguable” and pointed to the transcript of
Obama’s statement saying it “generally” referred to “acts of terror.”
CNN’s John King called the Obama statement a “generic” comment about
terror, not specifically calling the Libya attack a terrorist act.
