conservative Dale Folwell wins Locke conservative conference straw poll | Eastern North Carolina Now

The major statewide gathering of conservatives during primary season is the Locke Foundation's conservative conference in Raleigh.  A straw poll conducted at that conference this weekend was indicative of where conservative support lies in the primary for governor.

Conservative two term State Treasurer Dale Folwell was the top choice of conference attendees, winning 39.8% of the vote, followed by first term Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson at 33.7%.  Bill Graham, a wealthy trial lawyer endorsed by liberal Senator Thom TIllis, who is throwing five million dollars of his own money into the primary race, was a distant third at 13%, with the remainder undecided.

Robinson started the primary race with a wide lead but that is being whitled down as the race unfolds.  Robinson is known as a stirring public speaker, but conservatives have been disappointed by his failure to engage on most key policy issues in the General Assembly, where he presides over the state senate.  Robinson talks a good game, but Folwell is seen as actually getting a lot more done on key conservative policy issues, as well as having a far superior management ability  in government. Graham's close ties to Tillis make most conservatives highly suspicious of him even though he loudly tries to proclaim he is a conservative.  There are also far too many similarities between Graham and John Edwards.