I haven’t seen too many candidate surveys this year, so I was happy to receive some surveys in emails from the The Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association (CCTA). CCTA is out of New Bern, NC and they have done a lot of good work to provide information on candidates who took the time to complete their survey/vetting reports. Some of the candidates returning the surveys are regional, running in districts around the New Bern area, but there are also candidates running in statewide contests who took the time to answer the surveys.
The surveys are short, but the questions are thoughtful and instructive and should help anyone make a decision as to who they should vote for in this year’s election.
Here are just couple of the questions asked in the CCTA vetting report:
- Why are you running for this office?
- Which of the Founding Fathers do you most admire? Why?
- Margaret Thatcher once said, “Consensus is a lack of leadership.” Do you agree? Why, or why not?
Many of the candidates gave thoughtful answers and then some answers are just eye opening. For example, in answer to the question, “Which of the Founding Fathers do you most admire? One candidate answered:
“Honestly, I have no idea. I’m not a history buff. I do have huge respect for our country and our democracy.”
I’m not going to give away this candidate’s name, I’ll let you find out for yourself. Click here to read surveys.
So far 22 candidates have returned CCTA’s surveys, including Bob Edmunds, candidate for NC Supreme Court, Mike Causey, NC Commissioner of Insurance, Michael Speciale, candidate for State House District 3, Walter Jones, candidate for U.S. Congressional District 3. CCTA continues to add surveys as they receive them, so check back to see who has been added.
According to CCTA: All candidates were asked the same questions. “Interview questions were developed by a Vetting Committee of 10 members of the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association. All candidates for a particular office were asked the same questions. Interviews were conducted by 3 rotating members of the Vetting Committee. Summaries are the agreed-upon consensus of each 3-member group. Candidates were asked to interview in-person, but phone interviews were offered for candidates living outside Craven County if schedules would not allow travel.”
CCTA describes itself as a “grassroots, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, advocates minimum government and maximum freedom. We are dedicated to the preservation of free enterprise and the United States Constitution.”
Thoughtful and instructive?