Today marks the one year anniversary of Robin Hayes' most infamous of all his pledges to vote against CAFTA, after a full week of similar promises to the people of this district.
" I am flat-out, completely, horizontally opposed to CAFTA."
Congressman Robin Hayes
[Charlotte Observer, 7/25/2005]
"Congressman Hayes is extremely pleased to create a fair and level playing field, but it still does not change the fact that CAFTA is not a good deal for 8th District businesses."
Carolyn Hern, press secretary for Hayes
[Winston-Salem Journal, 7/21/2005]
"Every time I drive through Kannapolis and I see those empty plants I know there is no way I could vote for CAFTA."
Congressman Robin Hayes
[AP 7/14/2005]
"What does CAFTA sound like? NAFTA.... It's not in the best interests of a core constituency I represent."
Congressman Robin Hayes
[Raleigh News and Observer, 7/14/2005]
A pledge he quickly flip-flopped on after the President asked him to change his vote. Robin Hayes folded under pressure from the President and we're paying the price back here in North Carolina. Hayes claims the President gave him concessions to help our local manufacturing and textile businesses, but the only concessions I'm seeing in the 8th district are the ones families make as they work to hold on to their homes and businesses in this tough economic time.
Hayes ultimately switched his CAFTA vote for the President and it passed 217-215 on July 28, 2005 - a tie would have defeated the bill.
Yesterday's House Race Hotline coverage of this race, taken from the front page of the Fayetteville Observer, only begins to tell the story of how I'm holding Hayes' feet to the fire in this election.
NORTH CAROLINA 08 (R/CONCORD -- Hayes)
Kissell Highlights Job Risk
Teacher Larry Kissell (D) "is blaming politics" and Rep. Robin Hayes (R) for the closure of "more than 674 textile and apparel mills" and the loss of about 100K textile jobs and 70K apparel jobs. Kissell also "blasted Hayes for voting in favor of" CAFTA. Hayes "initially opposed" CAFTA but "ended up voting for the agreement after receiving calls from several textile organizations and companies that endorsed the deal."
UNC prof. Ted Arrington "said voters could take their frustration out at the polls" and "no matter what the circumstance is, people want somebody to blame." Hayes "could be a political target." Arrington: "Turnout makes a difference, and the people who are going to be more energized are the people who have lost their jobs."
Hayes' popularity "has grown in strongly Democratic Scotland county" and "It's a margin Hayes believes is an improvement over previous years when he faced near defeats" from Dems. Kissell: "He's more loyal to party politics and President Bush than he is to the people of this district" (Calhoun, Fayetteville Observer, 7/24).
I've kept up the pressure, and in doing so forced Hayes, who was against free trade before he was for it, to vote against it again when the dangerous US-Omani free trade deal came up last week. But Hayes has proven he's only effective at passing bad trade deals, not stopping them. Despite all the promised concessions from President Bush for Hayes' flip-flop last year, there were none to be found when Oman sailed through Congress right under Congressman Hayes' nose.
The simple fact is the so-called trade concessions that Hayes praises are a smoke-screen that Washington politicians use to try to hide the truth that bad trade deals like CAFTA and OMAN cost us jobs here at home. May the good Lord forgive him, because the people of the 8th District can not.
And that's why Hayes is on the run.
My multi-millionaire opponent is now blanketing our district in taxpayer funded franked mail, sending out slick campaign pieces on our dime attempting to explain away his vote for CAFTA last year. As if that's his only crime.
This election isn't just about CAFTA, or one Congressman's lost integrity - This election is about all the things families sit around their kitchen table and talk about - high gas prices, jobs and our children's future.
But unlike Congressman Hayes, I must run my campaign like the vast majority of us run our households - on a budget. I need your help to get our positive message of hope for our struggling families out to the people.
Put me on TV, and come November you'll have a new voice in Congress for the hard working families of this nation. The support and attention from the netroots have seriously made this campaign. Continue to stand with me, and I'll continue to stand up for all of you in Congress.
Thank you for your support, and God bless.
Larry Kissell
Democratic Nominee for Congress
North Carolina's 8th District
Someone Working...For A Change