Dan Clodfelter Faces Tough Competition For NC Senate Majority Seat...Basnight Didn't Endorse Him

NC Senator Dan Clodfelter boxed out


Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight's endorsement of Sen. Martin Nesbitt, of Asheville, for majority leader has left Sen. Dan Clodfelter, of Charlotte (right), with few directions to go to pursue the job.

Basnight, of Manteo, wrote to his Democratic colleagues (see link below) on Friday encouraging them to support Nesbitt to replace outgoing Majority Leader Tony Rand, of Fayetteville.

"For our state to endure these difficult economic times, we need to focus all of our energies and efforts on creating jobs, improving education and health care, and giving everyone in North Carolina a chance at success," Basnight wrote. "Martin Nesbitt has fought for these important priorities throughout his decades of public service."

Several Democratic senators last week said Clodfelter was running for the majority leader's job, but the same day Basnight's letter appeared, Clodfelter refused to say whether he was a candidate.

The difficulty for him is that Nesbitt carries considerable loyalty among the more liberal wing of the Democratic caucus, while the more conservative and business-oriented side of the party remains loyal to Basnight. Those obstacles, along with Clodfelter's history of irritating colleagues with his brusque manner, leave a limited number of senators from whom Clodfelter might gain support.






NC Senator Dan Clodfelter sees hurdles in path to leader post


The shuffle to fill what is effectively the No. 2 post in the N.C. Senate has left Sen. Dan Clodfelter of Charlotte with few directions to pursue the job.

Senate Democrats are tentatively scheduled to meet next Tuesday to elect a new majority leader.

Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight endorsed Asheville Sen. Martin Nesbitt for Senate majority leader in a letter to his fellow Democratic senators on Friday.

Basnight, of Manteo, praised Nesbitt as a replacement for outgoing Majority Leader Tony Rand of Fayetteville, who last week announced plans to resign.

Several Democratic senators last week said Clodfelter was running for the majority leader's job. The same day Basnight's letter appeared, Clodfelter urged senators not to move quickly to fill the majority leader's post, but he wavered as to whether he was a candidate.

"I'm not at that point," Clodfelter told the Asheville Citizen-Times, before adding: "I'm not telling you I'm not a candidate."

He has not returned repeated phone calls and e-mails from the Observer

The difficulty for Clodfelter is that Nesbitt carries considerable loyalty among the more liberal wing of the Democratic caucus, while the more conservative side remains loyal to Basnight.

Those obstacles, along with Clodfelter's history of irritating colleagues with his brusque manner, leave a limited number of senators from whom Clodfelter might gain support.



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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Under The Dome, Charlotte Observer, North Carolina General Assembly, Google Maps