Could Johnson pull the upset?
Can Johnson break the Republican stronghold?
Democrats think congressional candidate stands chance
BY ANDREW MACKIE
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Wednesday, May 7, 2008
HICKORY - Republicans have enjoyed a stranglehold on the 10th Congressional District since its inception in the early 1960s.
But after years of frustration, 10th District Democrats think they finally have a candidate to break through in November.
Democrat Daniel Johnson, fresh off a convincing victory against primary opponent Steve Ivester, now turns his focus to challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is seeking his third term in Congress.
A Naval hero and Hickory attorney, Johnson is viewed as having the background, character and charisma to attract voters.
“Daniel would better represent the interests of the district,” boasts Dan Green, Catawba County Democratic Party chairman. “I think he’s going to get a lot of support and do really well.”
Johnson has reasons for optimism, observers say. With Green’s help, area Democrats are more organized and energized than in many years.
In addition, the fall’s presidential election is expected to bring seldom and first-time voters to the polls, which favors Democrats. Barack Obama also appears headed to the Democratic Party’s nomination, and Johnson should benefit from his ability to draw young voters to the polls, Green said.
Johnson also has proven himself to be a capable fundraiser, the lifeblood of most campaigns, especially at the congressional level. The 10-county district requires advertisements in several media outlets and ranges from the mountain counties of Avery and Mitchell to Gaston County near Charlotte.
McHenry is from Cherryville, which is in Gaston County.
Johnson had raised $217,062 and had $166,188 in cash available in mid-April.
By comparison, McHenry raised $871,846 during the same period. He spent $679,844 and had $325,663 in cash available.
McHenry still holds the advantage in money raised for his campaign, but Johnson’s total dwarfs most recent Democratic challengers.
For example, the last candidate to have similar financial resources was Democrat Ron Daugherty in 2002. He self-funded most of his campaign against former U.S. Rep. Cass Ballenger. Daugherty put nearly $300,000 into the race. He lost to Ballenger by 59 percent to 38 percent.
Johnson expects to be out-raised and out-spent by the McHenry campaign. Still, he thinks he can generate enough money to get his message to voters.
In the 2004 Republican primary, two candidates spent more than $800,000, one nearly $1.2 million. Johnson doesn’t expect to reach that number.
“Getting to that point would be wonderful, but we don’t have a set number we need to get to,” he said.
The son of a Hickory pastor and a schoolteacher, Johnson is counting on the value of meeting voters face-to-face. He views McHenry’s penchant for combative partisanship to be what voters have tired of.
“People are looking beyond partisan affiliation,” he said. “Now it’s who has their best interest at heart and who will work to find solutions. Voters want people of character instead of these partisan games.”
The candidates had their first political exchange Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the polls closed on Tuesday’s primary.
Johnson responded to a post on McHenry’s Web site, which called Johnson a trial attorney and the chosen recruit of U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi. It also described Johnson as having pockets stuffed with cash from Washington liberals.
“This is an untrue personal attack, and exactly the kind of politics that we in the 10th District are sick and tired of,” Johnson said in an e-mail blast statement.
