Baptist Pastor and Tea Party favorite Mark Walker has pulled out a sort of political upset in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District by ousting establishment GOP favorite Phil Berger Jr. Mr. Berger, a local district attorney, is the son of powerful State Senate Majority Leader Phil Berger. Berger Jr was also a Karl Rove's favorite.
Greensboro News Record
The congressional seat is open due to 30 year Congressman Howard Coble's (R) retirement.
Walker defeated Berger Jr. in a runoff today after finishing behind Berger Jr. in the previous primary. No candidate reached 50% in the original primary and a runoff was triggered.
The Democratic Party Nominee, Laura Fjeld, tonight issued a statement "congratulating" Walker by calling on supporters of Phil Berger Jr to join her campaign:
Fjeld Statement on Republican Primary:
Mark Walker won the bitter Republican runoff tonight by appealing to far-right Tea Party voters.
Democratic congressional candidate Laura Fjeld welcomed Republican supporters of Phil Berger Jr. to join her campaign, stating, “Those mainstream Republican voters who are disappointed with their extremist nominee have a home in my campaign. I represent mainstream North Carolina values, and will work with Republicans, Independents, and Democrats to create jobs and improve education.”
Laura outlined the differences between her and Walker, stating, “Mark Walker is a radical extremist who doesn’t share the values of North Carolinians. He wants to raise taxes on millions of working families. Walker believes that women who are the victim of rape or incest should be forced to carry the resulting pregnancy. Walker would even outlaw some forms of birth control. This is 2014, we should be talking about jobs, not banning birth control.”
Laura concluded by stating that, “Walker’s extremism has blinded him from the issues that matter. I am laser focused on the issues people care about: creating jobs, fixing our roads, improving our schools, and cutting wasteful spending. I will work with both sides, be a consensus builder, and get the results we need to help families here in North Carolina. I will work to end the Washington gridlock while Mark Walker’s extremism will make it worse. I will be a voice for everyone; Mark Walker will be a voice only for the most extreme segment of our society.”
Here is a series of
answers to questions posed to Mark Walker recently:
On Taxes:
We must reduce the overbearing corporate taxes on small and large businesses
On Abortion:
We must defund Planned Parenthood now! Since 1972, the American taxpayer has provided six billion dollars to an organization that has single-handedly ended the lives of millions of babies........I will work diligently to pass legislation that clearly states that all life begins at conception.
On the ACA:
We need immediate legislation that allows any business to opt out of the job-killing Affordable Care Act. This unconstitutional legislation is adding another trillion dollars to the backs of our people
Mark Walker has also reportedly said he would back Trey Gowdy for Speaker of the House while stating Boehner has been
too willing to work with President Obama.
Here is a seat the Democrats can pick up this Fall.