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Rep. Williams raises money
By JONATHAN CLAYBORNE News Editor
State Rep. Arthur Williams III isn't a freshman anymore.
That much was affirmed repeatedly Wednesday night in Washington during a fundraiser for the representative.
Williams, elected in 2002, has become a vice chairman of the House transportation committee and a member of the House agriculture and appropriations committees.
He attracted high-level officials to Wednesday's event.
Among the political luminaries present were Jim Black, Democratic co-speaker of the House, and Elaine Marshall, Democratic secretary of state.
Williams said he hopes to raise $150,000 to support his re-election bid this year.
There were no immediate reports on how much money was raised Wednesday night at the oyster roast, hosted by Ed and Mary Tucker Talley.
Responding to a question, Black said his visit was not a sign that the Democrats believe Williams is vulnerable this election year.
Black noted that Williams invited him, and that he had visited Williams' district a number of times.
"Arthur is one of the hardest-working members to come out of Eastern North Carolina," said Black, a resident of Matthews. "He's up in my office every day that I'm in Raleigh working on some kind of a project."
He added, jokingly, "Sometimes I help him with his projects just to get rid of him."
Black said Williams had talked with him about the importance of widening U.S. Highway 17 from Virginia to South Carolina.
"I'm going to be helping him with that," Black said.
Plaudits came from other quarters, too.
In remarks to the crowd, Marshall said she predicted two years ago that Williams would not be "a freshman as we know freshmen at the General Assembly."
Williams, who had worked for years in the campaigns of Sen. Ed Warren of Greenville, now deceased, knew his way around the Legislative Building before getting elected, she indicated.
"I think he represents his people very well," said state Rep. Marian McLawhorn of Grifton. "He goes everywhere. I mean, Arthur is always out in his district. He goes to Raleigh. He's not shy about getting together with the speaker with what his district's needs are."
Williams' campaign committee posted receipts of $205,980 in 2002, according to the North Carolina Board of Elections.
The campaign reaped that money mostly from individual contributors. Williams also received thousands from the state Democratic Party.
Black attended a private fundraiser for Williams in 2002 at a home in Washington Park.
During that reception, Black handed Williams a $4,000 check from Black's re-election fund.
At the time, Black said it cost between $150,000 and $300,000 to run a House campaign.
The expenses are "terrible," Black said in 2002, but are also "a sign of the times."
He said then that the Democratic caucus was putting "a lot of money into (Williams') race."
Some of that cash was used to buy "mailers" -- cards sent to voters urging them to mark ballots for Williams -- and for television commercials.
Statewide, the cost of all House and Senate campaigns rose from $7 million in 1992 to $22 million in 2002, officials attending a meeting of the N.C. League of Municipalities in Washington were told recently.
Black and state Sen. Marc Basnight, D-Dare, raised a collective total of around $3 million for their re-election committees in 2002.
The Democrats raised more money than Republicans in 2002. The Republicans briefly achieved an even split in the House, though.
A Republican defection and a power-sharing agreement among co-speakers Black and Republican Richard Morgan and other House members diminished GOP strength in the House.
The Democrats retained a majority in the Senate.
Though they outspent the Republicans before the previous general election, the Democrats don't have a monopoly on drives to capture campaign cash.
Local Republican House candidates have in the past groused about the state GOP's failure to pour money into their election efforts. This year, the party has teamed up with Republican leaders in the Senate to try and bank $1 million for the Republican Senatorial Trust Fund.
At last report, the Republicans had collected $400,000 for the fund, which the GOP hopes will help its seat-seekers take control of the Senate.
A fundraiser for the trust will be held tonight at the N.C. Estuarium in Washington.
For more on Wednesday's fundraiser, including additional information from an interview with Black, see a future edition.
That much was affirmed repeatedly Wednesday night in Washington during a fundraiser for the representative.
Williams, elected in 2002, has become a vice chairman of the House transportation committee and a member of the House agriculture and appropriations committees.
He attracted high-level officials to Wednesday's event.
Among the political luminaries present were Jim Black, Democratic co-speaker of the House, and Elaine Marshall, Democratic secretary of state.
Williams said he hopes to raise $150,000 to support his re-election bid this year.
There were no immediate reports on how much money was raised Wednesday night at the oyster roast, hosted by Ed and Mary Tucker Talley.
Responding to a question, Black said his visit was not a sign that the Democrats believe Williams is vulnerable this election year.
Black noted that Williams invited him, and that he had visited Williams' district a number of times.
"Arthur is one of the hardest-working members to come out of Eastern North Carolina," said Black, a resident of Matthews. "He's up in my office every day that I'm in Raleigh working on some kind of a project."
He added, jokingly, "Sometimes I help him with his projects just to get rid of him."
Black said Williams had talked with him about the importance of widening U.S. Highway 17 from Virginia to South Carolina.
"I'm going to be helping him with that," Black said.
Plaudits came from other quarters, too.
In remarks to the crowd, Marshall said she predicted two years ago that Williams would not be "a freshman as we know freshmen at the General Assembly."
Williams, who had worked for years in the campaigns of Sen. Ed Warren of Greenville, now deceased, knew his way around the Legislative Building before getting elected, she indicated.
"I think he represents his people very well," said state Rep. Marian McLawhorn of Grifton. "He goes everywhere. I mean, Arthur is always out in his district. He goes to Raleigh. He's not shy about getting together with the speaker with what his district's needs are."
Williams' campaign committee posted receipts of $205,980 in 2002, according to the North Carolina Board of Elections.
The campaign reaped that money mostly from individual contributors. Williams also received thousands from the state Democratic Party.
Black attended a private fundraiser for Williams in 2002 at a home in Washington Park.
During that reception, Black handed Williams a $4,000 check from Black's re-election fund.
At the time, Black said it cost between $150,000 and $300,000 to run a House campaign.
The expenses are "terrible," Black said in 2002, but are also "a sign of the times."
He said then that the Democratic caucus was putting "a lot of money into (Williams') race."
Some of that cash was used to buy "mailers" -- cards sent to voters urging them to mark ballots for Williams -- and for television commercials.
Statewide, the cost of all House and Senate campaigns rose from $7 million in 1992 to $22 million in 2002, officials attending a meeting of the N.C. League of Municipalities in Washington were told recently.
Black and state Sen. Marc Basnight, D-Dare, raised a collective total of around $3 million for their re-election committees in 2002.
The Democrats raised more money than Republicans in 2002. The Republicans briefly achieved an even split in the House, though.
A Republican defection and a power-sharing agreement among co-speakers Black and Republican Richard Morgan and other House members diminished GOP strength in the House.
The Democrats retained a majority in the Senate.
Though they outspent the Republicans before the previous general election, the Democrats don't have a monopoly on drives to capture campaign cash.
Local Republican House candidates have in the past groused about the state GOP's failure to pour money into their election efforts. This year, the party has teamed up with Republican leaders in the Senate to try and bank $1 million for the Republican Senatorial Trust Fund.
At last report, the Republicans had collected $400,000 for the fund, which the GOP hopes will help its seat-seekers take control of the Senate.
A fundraiser for the trust will be held tonight at the N.C. Estuarium in Washington.
For more on Wednesday's fundraiser, including additional information from an interview with Black, see a future edition.
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