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Obama is straw-poll winner in Forsyth
Perdue is choice for governor; Watt tells Forsyth Democratic convention that real battle is in fall
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Published: April 20, 2008
More than 150 people crowded into Brendle Recital Hall at Wake Forest University yesterday to talk politics in the most exciting presidential primary season in many years.
The Forsyth County Democratic Convention heard from state and local candidates, and heard from representatives of the two national candidates who are driving so much of the excitement.
North Carolina's primary on May 6, with the state's 115 delegates at stake, could be a key factor in deciding the race between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton. After Tuesday's primary in Pennsylvania, North Carolina is the largest state left in terms of delegates.
Both candidates have ramped up their campaigns in the state, with repeated visits by both. Clinton made her second campaign stop in Winston-Salem on Friday.
Voters are responding. Party officials said that the number of registered voters is into record territory, with 3,500 new voters registering since January.
Obama won the straw poll at yesterday's meeting by a vote of 96-31, but party officials were quick to point out that the non-binding vote is just another indicator of voter interest. Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue beat Treasurer Richard Moore by 79-47 in another straw poll.
"Straw polls aren't conducted very often," said Jerry Meek, the chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party. "When they are conducted, it's for the purpose of generating interest in the convention and encouraging people to attend. It's usually done as a party-building activity.... Our role as the party is to wait out the primary and work to get whoever is the candidate elected in November."
When asked, many Democrats declined to say whom they supported yesterday. Instead, the message they were trying to put out was of unity and the importance of getting voters to the polls Nov. 4.
"The real battle for the heart and soul of America takes place in November.… The direction of our state and our nation is so much more important than any individual candidate," said Rep. Mel Watt, D-12th. "We have to be united in November."
He was one of the few speakers to openly pick a side in the presidential primary. Watt endorsed Obama last week.
But Watt warned that the primary race, with all of the attention and enthusiasm it has generated, could be divisive for the party: If someone's candidate doesn't win in May, he said those voters could vote Republican or just stay home in November.
Forsyth Democrats also considered resolutions and elected delegates yesterday to attend the district convention May 17 in Statesville. Forsyth usually sends 100 to 200 delegates at the district level, but not all of those go on to Raleigh for the state convention.
County Democrats have seen an increase in involvement at the precinct level because of the excitement over this year's presidential race.
A year ago, there were 57 organized Democratic precincts out of 101. There are now 81 organized precincts, which have officers and meet regularly to discuss voter-registration efforts and action and outreach, said Mary Dickinson, a vice chairman for the county party.
One of the newest organized precincts is Belews Creek in northeast Forsyth County. Fran Martinez, a retired school teacher, found out last year that the precinct wasn't organized and decided that too much was at stake this presidential election to not try to reach out to the 800 or so registered Democrats in her area.
"This is the time," said Martinez, 63. "This is the place. This for my generation -- I'm a baby boomer -- Kennedy was it. And this is it. It's a defining moment," Martinez said.
■ Sherry Youngquist can be reached in Mount Airy at 336-789-9338 or at syoungquist
@wsjournal.com
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