GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Share Views on Open Government, Infrastructure, and Healthcare

Republican primary gubernatorial candidates campaigning for North Carolina governor 2008, graciously responded to our invitation to answer your questions

March 6, 2008

COUNTY NC NEWS -- Republican primary gubernatorial candidates campaigning for North Carolina governor 2008, graciously responded to our invitation to answer your questions concerning North Carolina open government, infrastructure and health issues. The NCGOP candidates, listed alphabetically, Bill Graham, Mayor Pat McCory, Justice Bob Orr, and NC Senator Fred Smith, are all competing to win the voters favor in the North Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary election on May 6, 2008. All of these gentlemen have specific plans and ideas on how North Carolina Government should be administered to efficiently provide for the people while maintaining production and growth as a sovereign jurisdiction, or individual state, of the United States. They are all, and should be, held in the highest honor for their individual achievements and contributions to North Carolina.

All NCGOP candidates for Governor, except one, were requested to briefly respond to your questions via email in text or video (8 minutes). Each Candidate's answers have been divided into individual news articles below, and they are all linked together through this article. Additionally, each article was written in a generic format to maintain balance.

• Bill Graham
• Mayor Pat McCory
• Justice Bob Orr
• Senator Fred Smith

County NC News will publish a separate article in the future on our thoughts concerning these gentlemen's answers. I hope you find these candidates answers to these questions concerning open government, infrastructure and mental health issues, as enlightening as I have.

The following is an explanation on how these interviews came about.

Originally, I called the Smith campaign staff for the scheduled locations of campaign events near my office on 2/22/08. I was not asking or attempting to gain an interview. I just wanted to get a close-up feel of what this candidate is about. During my telephone conversation, the staff member learned my connection with County NC News, and pushed for an interview. Normally, I do not record interviews other than for a record of evidence for news articles. I'm not a good anchor and we just don't have up-to-date video equipment. I then compiled questions from readers and added one of my own. The interview then took place on 2/25/08 in Plymouth, North Carolina.

The following day after the interview, County NC News members agreed that due to the importance of the subject, "the North Carolina GOP primary election for gubernatorial candidate," we should contact all Republican primary candidates for Governor 2008, in order to keep this news article fair and balanced. County NC News offered the same question to each candidate. The following day on 2/27/08, I contacted campaign staff for Bill Graham, Mayor Pat McCory, Justice Bob Orr. They all agreed to view and answer your questions on open government, infrastructure, and mental healthcare.