House Speaker Tillis stumps for Cook, Lawson and Speciale in Beaufort County | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This article originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

    Thom Tillis, Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives attended a fund raiser for NC Senate candidate Bill Cook at the Bank Restaurant on Main Street in Washington on Monday October 8. Bill Cook is a presently a member of the NC House of Representatives. The event, a luncheon, was attended by more than 40 enthusiastic Cook supporters. Among the attendees were Mattie Lawson candidate for NC House 6th District and Michael Speciale candidate for NC House 3rd District.

    Tillis, from Mecklenburg County, led the Republican Majority NC House to over ride eleven vetoes of Democrat Governor Beverly Perdue. Some say this productive legislative session resulted in sales taxes not being raised and a balanced budget that should produce a surplus. Tillis spoke about the conservative reforms that can be brought to North Carolina with a Republican House, Senate and Governor. He reported polling shows Pat McCrory, the Republican candidate for governor, is well ahead of his opponent, both the House and Senate should bring in a majority of Republicans he reported. Tillis says this bodes well for the reforms to government that Republicans have long supported.

    Cook, as the Representative from Beaufort, Hyde, Washington and Dare counties was a strong supporter of the Speaker and his legislative team, garnering him a rating of one of the most effective conservatives in the House last session. Cook is not running for the Senate seat that includes Beaufort while Mattie Lawson seeks to replace Cook in the House. In the newly redistricted House plan, Beaufort County is split more or less along the river. House 6 is north of the river while House 3 is south of the river with the exception of Gilead Precinct, which is in House 3. Michael Speciale is running as a conservative Republican in that district against Robert Cayton who chose to give up his county commissioner seat for a shot at the House. Cayton is a Democrat from Aurora. Speciale, like Lawson, bills himself as a conservative like Cook.
NC Senate Candidate Bill Cook making a salient point to the folks: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage
    Tillis said: "I'm pleased to be here in Beaufort County to support Bill Cook, Mattie Lawson and Michael Speciale. I believe a Republican legislature, working with a Republican governor, can make great strides in what we started last session. Bill, Mattie and Mike will make a very effective team representing Beaufort County. I'm looking forward to serving with them."

    It is reported that Arthur Williams did not attend.

    The election is November 6 with early voting starting on October 18.

    The Beaufort Observer's candidate picks will be released next week. Expect Cook, Speciale and Lawson to be among them.