Is it wishful to imagine Chapel Hill at the center of the American and North Carolina democratically-elected universe?
A local (adopted) citizen, John Edwards, is yet vigorously campaigning for the United State presidency.
A recently repatriated citizen, Jim Neal, seeks the NC Democratic nomination for the US Senate. (Add coincidental local geographic information: He lives in the mid-town home which was long that of the late 12-term US Congressman from Chapel Hill, Carl Durham.)
Beverly Perdue, the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, has been going full tilt for more than a year in her bid to become Governor. Another Chapel Hillian, hometown native Hampton Dellinger, is a candidate to succeed her as lieutenant governor.
We expect Speaker of the NC House of Representatives Joe Hackney, to again be un-opposed in his bid for re-election to this powerful post.
No doubt there are and will be more geographically local folks to seek higher offices, so this is yet no big deal.
But in looking back for a precedent I can only recall that a rather stuffy local lawyer many years ago announced that “at the request of my friends” he would run for election to the Chapel Hill Board of Aldermen. He received six votes.
