With U.S. Senate control hanging in the balance and governance of both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly up for grabs, both Democrats and Republicans scurried about in a blaze of last-minute campaigning, fundraising and organizing in the last 24 hours before elections.
Campaign headquarters were working hard into the evening Monday to deliver yard signs to supporters, inform voters of their precinct, and arrange transportation for voters who can not get to the polls otherwise.
This year's midterm elections feature one of the tightest and most closely watched Senate races in the country, between Democratic candidate Erskine Bowles and Republican candidate Elizabeth Dole. In September, Dole led Bowles by 14 percentage points in a Mason-Dixon poll. In another Mason-Dixon poll released Sunday, Bowles had whittled that lead down to 6 points.
Bowles spent part of his day Monday in Charlotte for an evening rally at Ericsson Stadium. U.S. Sen. John Edwards, Gov. Mike Easley and former Gov. Jim Hunt attended a noon Democratic rally in downtown Raleigh. U.S. Rep. David Price, a Triangle Democrat, also attended the rally.
Dole, campaigning with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, opened the final full day of her campaign Monday emphasizing the need for a Republican majority in Congress to work with President George W. Bush. Giuliani and Dole met at the Charlotte airport, where they were joined by U.S. Reps. Robin Hayes and Sue Myrick, both up for reelection Tuesday. Although Myrick's race and most of North Carolina's 13 Congressional races are all but settled, Hayes is facing a tough challenge from Democrat Chris Khouri.
Price, who is running for reelection in the 4th Congressional District, spent the day going door-to-door in the community. "It is important for the candidates to talk to as many people as possible," said Bridget Lowell, a state Democratic Party spokesperson.
Price is heavily favored to win against Republican candidate Tuan Nguyen and Libertarian candidate Ken Nelson.
Nguyen spent the evening at a fundraising rally at the Republicans' Durham County headquarters with other party candidates, including Tom Davidson, who is running for the 13th district state Senate seat in Durham.
"Everyone is doing last-minute campaigning," said Charlotte Woods, Republican headquarters coordinator. "Candidates are going everywhere from fire stations to local businesses, trying to get their message out before the last hour."
Nelson took the day off to run his own headquarters. "The people working for me are citizens," he said. "They have real jobs." He explained that he hopes to turn Congress back into a body of citizens instead of a group of professional politicians.
Meanwhile, with one eye to the national campaign, state politicians are warily watching to see who will control the General Assembly after tonight's election. Redistricting and budget concerns have endangered the Democrats' control of both of the assembly's chambers. Currently, the Democrats have a 35-15 majority in the Senate, but control the House by a much slimmer 62-58 margin.
Both Lowell and Woods said the main focus for volunteers at campaign headquarters was to encourage voting from both parties via phone and other means.
"We are working hard to get people to vote," Woods said. "If you don't vote, do not open your mouth to complain."
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