2008 Endorsements

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7316515415349945798.post-77531848136956120952008-04-17T14:53:00.019-04:002008-08-20T22:56:17.202-04:002008-08-20T22:56:17.202-04:002008 EndorsementsLike hundreds of other DFA groups across the country, Asheville Democracy for America has been working on endorsements in state and local races since the beginning of the year. We're proud to have endorsed the following progressive candidates, and plan to endorse more next month. (For more about the endorsement process, <a href="http://betweenelections.blogspot.com/2008/08/endorsement-process-for-local-state.html">visit our blog</a>.) Here are our endorsements in the 2008 General Election: Buncombe County Commission <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://hollyjones.org/index.php">Holly Jones</a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_MrbZJFnZ-po/SAefsYBUIcI/AAAAAAAAACY/iJwQSq9nNHM/s1600-h/hollyjones2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_MrbZJFnZ-po/SAefsYBUIcI/AAAAAAAAACY/iJwQSq9nNHM/s320/hollyjones2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190292680278811074" border="0" /></a> Holly Jones is a native of North Carolina. Holly has been a Buncombe County resident since 1996, when she was hired as Executive Director of the YWCA of Asheville and Western North Carolina. During her tenure at the YWCA, she has led the organization into an unprecedented era of programmatic strength and financial stability. The YWCA of Asheville, whose mission is the empowerment of women and the elimination of racism, currently has a workforce of 100 employees and a budget of 2.4 million dollars. Under Holly's leadership, the YWCA completed a multi-million dollar renovation which came in on time and on budget. Holly's excellent managerial skills were recognized in 2007, when she received the Ken Roberson Award for Management Excellence in the Non-profit Health and Human Service field. Holly is very actively involved in a broad spectrum of community organizations. She is passionate about children's issues and health and wellness. She is a past member of the Downtown Rotary Club, Asheville- Buncombe Education Coalition, and Buncombe County Board of Health. Holly was first elected to Asheville City Council in 2001. She ran for re-election in 2005 and came in first place with the highest number of votes. During her tenure on City Council, Holly has served as Chair of the Asheville HOME Consortium, representative to the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, and has been the council liaison for lots of city committees including Minority Affairs, and the Greenway Commission. North Carolina Council of State Commissioner of Insurance: <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.waynegoodwin.org/">Wayne Goodwin</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_MrbZJFnZ-po/SA5CmdJbFZI/AAAAAAAAACw/lPRUJxvN3TU/s1600-h/WGoodwin_bw_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_MrbZJFnZ-po/SA5CmdJbFZI/AAAAAAAAACw/lPRUJxvN3TU/s320/WGoodwin_bw_small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192160648831374738" border="0" /></a> Wayne Goodwin is a native of Hamlet, North Carolina, where his family was active in agriculture and banking. He excelled in the local Richmond County public schools and became both the first Morehead Scholar and William Randolph Hearst / U.S. Senate Scholar from Richmond Senior High School. Wayne graduated from the UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL with Honors in Political Science, including receipt of the Terry Sanford Award. He then went on to graduate from the UNC School of Law. After returning full-time to Richmond County, he worked in private legal practice for 13 years. In 1996, he won election to the North Carolina House of Representatives, the youngest State Representative at the time. During his eight years in the North Carolina Legislature, he represented all of Richmond, Scotland, Montgomery and Stanly counties. He sponsored legislation that led to greater incentives for economic development in rural areas, increases in education spending, improved health care, and enhanced public and occupational safety, security, election and campaign finance reforms, and consumer protection. Among many other honors, he was presented the Leadership in Government Award by Common Cause and the A+ Legislator Award by the NC Association of Educators. Pfeiffer College named him an honorary alumnus. In 2004, after a failed bid to become NC Insurance Commissioner, Wayne was appointed Assistant Commissioner of Insurance for North Carolina. In this role he has worked hand in hand with the Commissioner to protect consumers and to promote a fair insurance market. And as State Fire Marshal Wayne successfully fought for increased annual grant funds for volunteer fire departments statewide. In August 2007, the General Assembly appointed Wayne to serve on the e-NC Authority Commission, where he will focus on enhancing job growth and economic development related to the expansion of the Internet in today's marketplace. Wayne teaches his Sunday School class at First United Methodist Church in Rockingham and is a member of the Kiwanis Club and various civic, non-profit and other Boards including the NC Center for Voter Education and the Methodist Home for Children. His wife, State Rep. Melanie Wade Goodwin, continues to serve in the legislature in what is now her 2nd term. The couple has a daughter, Madison, who is five years old, and anticipates their second child in Spring 2008. Doug Gibsonnoreply@blogger.com