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Vol. 116 No. 45
Staff Writer
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
Tim Moore’s father Rick Moore and family watch as
results come in at Shelby Fire Department.
President’s race
too close to call,
but Bush wins here
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
High voter turnout meant a late election
night for Cleveland County politicians.
Candidates gathered at party headquarters on
-the Court square and at the Shelby Fire
Department.
Although the race nationally was too close
to call at press time, Incumbent President
George Bush won 61 percent of the Cleveland
vote with Senator John
Kerry garnering 38 per-
cent. Kerry did not take
a majority in any Kings
Mountain, Grover or
Oak Grove precincts.
County-wide over
36,000 votes were cast in
the presidential race.
Richard Burr won 55
percent of the Cleveland
vote in his run for
Senate with Erskine
Bowles getting 44 per-
cent. With the exception
of Kings Mountain
Precinct Four, Burr beat
Bowles in Kings
Mountain, Grover and
Oak Grove.
As expected,
Republican Patrick |
McHenry defeated Anne Fischer for the 10th
District Congressional seat. That seat was up
for grabs with the retirement of Republican
Cass Ballenger. McHenry won 59 percent of
the Cleveland County vote. He won all Kings
Mountain, Grover and Oak Grove precincts.
McHenry celebrated his victory in Hickory,
however GOP strategist Wayne King, who was
in Shelby as election results came in, offered
his views on the race. He described
McHenry’s campaign as “grassroots from the
beginning.” King said McHenry did more
door to door work than any past
Congressional candidate.
Both King and McHenry are in their 20s.
King, who returned Saturday from working
with the Bush campaign in Florida, said his
See Bush, 3A
Young people
get involved
in election
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Democrat Party
Chairperson Betsy
Wells kept busy
Tuesday night as
election results
were reported.
New voters, children watching their parents
vote and long time campaigners were found at
polling sites around Kings Mountain on
Tuesday.
Meagan Noell, 19, was excited as she exited
the polls at Second Baptist Church. She had
long anticipated the civic rite of passage.
“When you were young it was something
the adults go to do,” she said.
To reach her decisions on candidates Noell
talked with parents, friends, teachers and a
few candidates. A Cleveland Community
College student, Noell based much of her deci-
sions on the candidates’ views toward school
funding, financial aide and tuition rates.
At the other end of the spectrum, Boyce
Memorial ARP polling site worker Julia Hunt
stood outside with her back to a car carrying
‘See Young, 3A
Since 1889
Representative Tim Moore took 55 percent
of the vote defeating Kathryn Hamrick for
the 111th state House seat Tuesday.
Given Cleveland County’s high number
of registered Democrats, political insiders
had been reluctant to make predictions. The
race attracted the attention of the state
Democrat party, Republicans say. Former
Democrat Governor Jim Hunt endorsed
Hamrick last week. k
Hamrick herself was not so confident.
“I knew from the start I was an under-
dog,” Hamrick said as she watched results
come in at the Shelby Fire Department.
Hamrick said state Democrat officials told
her during a training session that the odds
=U
~S 53
(BM
50 Cents
and grueling.”
again in a heartbeat.”
are slim for a female defeating a male
incumbent in southern states.
She called the campaign both “rewarding
“It’s something I'll always treasure. I'm a
better person for having gone through the
process,” Hamrick said. “I would do it over
Both candidates described their cam-
paigns as positive. However, some Moore
supporters have focused on Hamrick’s
acceptance of money from an organization
which endorses pro-choice candidates. Some
of Hamrick campaign literature has been
critical of Moore's vote against a state budg-
et saying it hurt human services funding.
Hamrick said jobs, health and education
were her key issues. Moore saw jobs, taxes
See Moore, 3A
wins second term in House
Beats Hamrick with 55% of vote
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Tim Moore watches elec-
tion results come in. in
Hutchins, Hawkins wins give
GOP control of County
oard
JOSEPH BRYMER/HERALD
County Commission candidate Johnny Hutchins waits with his daughter Tammy Hogue as results come in at Cleveland County
Republican headquarters Tuesday night. Hutchins won a seat. :
Dalton returns to Senate
after close vote with Testa
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Democrat Senator Walter
Dalton retained his seat
despite a challenge from
Kings Mountain businessman
Jim Testa.
Dalton took 52 percent of
the total vote. In Kings
Mountain, Testa got 30 more
votes than Dalton.
Dalton, a Rutherfordton
attorney, credited his work
over the past eight years in
office for the win. He has
secured $20 million in water
and sewer assistance from
the Rural Center and
$400,000 for an allied health
program at Cleveland
Community College.
Cleveland County
Republican Party Chairman
Wes Westmoreland said Testa
had “an excellent showing
for a first time candidate.”
“An incumbent is hard to
beat,” he said.
Westmoreland accused
Dalton of attempting to
appear a conservative while
having what he called a
“questionable record.”
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
Democrat Senator Walter Dalton won re-elec-
tion defeating Jim Testa.
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
With the election of Johnny Hutchins,
Republicans took control of Cleveland
County’s Commission Tuesday night.
Incumbent Democrat Tom Bridges lost his seat.
Republican Ronnie Hawkins was the top
vote getter at 20 percent. Incumbent Democrat
Chairwoman Mary Accor returns to the com-
mission with 18 percent of the vote along with
GOP newcomer Johnny Hutchins who gar-
nered 17 percent.
“It’s very exciting to add a seat on the coun-
ty commission,” said Wes Westmoreland, GOP
chairman.
Hutchins narrowly beat out Democrat Robin
Hendrick by 164 votes. The two men waited
until 12:15 a.m. when results from Shelby’s sev-
enth precinct came in. Problems with a
machine and a subsequent recount caused the
delay. ;
“It was a nervous, tough race,” Hutchins
said shortly after learning he had won.
He praised Hendrick, calling him a “fine
man.”
Hendrick said the general Republican direc-
tion voters took hurt him at the polls.
Looking ahead, Hutchins anticipates the
commission working on education, jobs, drug
and alcohol problems and taxes.
“Most of all we've got to keep taxes down,”
he said. :
Hutchins credited his win to the public
“wanting a change” and their perceiving him
as someone who will “speak for the people.”
“I've been where they are,” he said, referring
to a layoff and his rise from a laborer to man-
agement at Lithium Corporation - FMC.
Hutchins thanked his family and friends for
their help in getting him elected. His daughter
See Hutchins, 3A