Stan Deatherage: Mattie, please explain to me why I should endorse you over the other guy? | Eastern North Carolina Now

Beaufort County Commissioner Stan Deatherage endorses Mattie Lawson for NC House, District 6, and proud to do so.
   Often, I am asked for my endorsement by other Republicans in primary's and almost just as often I decline. Understandably, I am uncomfortable taking sides - Republican candidate vs Republican candidate.

   When Mattie Lawson, candidate for the Republican nomination for NC House, ran in the 1st primary, I took no sides in this race, although Jeremy Adams, also a candidate for that same NC House nomination, did receive help from me in the form of a contribution on the construction of his website (I did it at my effective cost and afforded him the Symbiotic Publisher CMS at no charge. Also, I chipped in a banner), but I gave no endorsements in this race.

   Today, I break with that tradition of non endorsement for a variety of reasons, but let me be specific here - Mattie Lawson deserves my endorsement, and the similar economic support I gave Jeremy Adams, because she is by far the best candidate to represent northern Beaufort County. "I have no dog in the hunt" for the balance of her district; however, I do care greatly about the direction North Carolina pursues, therefore, she is my unqualified favored candidate to move Beaufort County and North Carolina forward in the right direction. This is, and has always been, paramount to me, and after considerable consideration, I believe Mattie measures up to the task.

   Explain yourself Stan: Why Mattie?

   Simply, Mattie basically feels the same way I do about the essential and intricate process of governing effectively. My rather long record (almost 16 years as a Beaufort County Commissioner) is, in part, mirrored in Mattie Lawson's own words, offered to me, in her request for my endorsement, expressed by her here below:

    "With our votes in every election we choose either big government or small government. Big government raises taxes, expands regulations and inserts over-paid bureaucrats into our lives. Small government lowers taxes, encourages self-reliance and frees us to use our own private property. When we don't vote, we have limited say in protecting our own rights."

    "Which candidates and ideas produce big or small governments? When we are unsure, we may waste our votes. The answer is to check history. The past is a clear clue to the future."

    "Voters have a choice in the Republican NC House District 6 race. Your two candidates have totally different worldviews. I am Mattie Lawson. My history shows I strongly favor small government. I want to help fix the financial mess left to our children and grandchildren. Our freedoms are burdened by debts and regulations that continue to mount at all levels. I have been active in the political processes in NE NC for six years. My systems engineering and small business experience specializing in improving productivity by lean methods will serve North Carolina well. I ask for your support and your vote because I cherish freedom and I share your views. I won once; get behind me to win again so together we can take on the Democrat challenger in November."

    "Your other choice in this race claims to be a conservative Republican. Check history. What has Arthur Williams done in the past for NE NC to reduce the size of government? What will he do in the future? You already know - it shows in his history."

   These words spoken to me by Mattie Lawson, in her own voice and well presented, speak to me and to what I expect from a serious Republican candidate to represent me, and my strong ideals, to our state government in Raleigh.

   If this was not enough to convince me, I have well considered these very recent words about Mattie from Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson, who did endorse Mattie Lawson in the first primary, and did work to help Mattie in her campaign:

   "Mattie will not do a damn thing I tell her to do in her campaign. She is one hardheaded woman. You know, I think she will do well in Raleigh, and will not succumb the pressures of trying to please a bunch of different people - especially the Republican Caucuses." [And then Hood went on to mention some rather strong words about the Republican caucuses that I dare not repeat in this PG rated publication.]

   This is all good enough me, and Mattie, you have my unqualified support and my endorsement. Like Hood, I too want a watchdog representing me in Raleigh, not a lapdog. A good man respects a hardheaded woman when her intellectual instincts are tempered by a head full of good sense.

   I do try awfully hard to be a good man, and I want this "hardheaded woman" to take her good sense to Raleigh to represnt me and my county of Beaufort.

NC House Candidate, District 6, Candidate Mattie Lawson addresses a crowd of potential voters at the Beaufort Patriot Tea Party Candidate Forum held in the Auditorium on the campus of the Beaufort County Community College.     photo by Stan Deatherage