2012 Election Filing Periods Ends List of Macon County Candidates

The filing period for running for office in Macon County for the 2012 elections ended today at noon and here is the list of candidates as provided by the Macon County Board of Elections:

County Commissioner District 1 (Unexpired Term)

Jim Tate- Republican (incumbent)
Highlands, NC
Date Filed: 02/14/2012


Steve Higdon-Republican
Franklin, NC
Date Filed: 02/28/2012

County Commissioner District 2

Kevin Corbin-Republican (incumbent)
Franklin, NC
Date Filed: 02/13/2012


Vic Drummond-Republican
Franklin, NC
Date Filed: 02/29/2012

County Commissioner District 3

Bobby Kuppers-Democrat (incumbent)
Franklin, NC
Date Filed: 02/13/2012


Ricky Snyder-Democrat
Franklin, NC
Date Filed: 02/13/2012


Paul Higdon-Republican
Franklin, NC
Date Filed: 02/16/2012


North Carolina State Sentate District 50

Jim Davis-Republican
Franklin, NC
Date Filed: 02/15/2012


It looks like this will be an interesting election for Macon County, with all the incumbent County Commissioners facing primary challengers.

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Mitt Romney Sweeps Arizona and Michigan Primaries Results, Videos and Exit Polls

Mitt Romney has swept the February 28th Primaries, winning in both Michigan and Arizona. MItt Romney faced stiff competition in Michigan from Rick Santorum, who enlisted the support of Democrats to come out and vote for him, and it appears that call was well-received, both by conservative Democrats and Progressive Democrats, who see him as a much easier opponent for Barack Obama to defeat in the general election. This is a sort of a Karmic payback for the Operation Chaos of the 2008 election cycle.

Results and Exit Polling Data for Michigan


Here are some of the data from the Fox News exit polls that I feel shed some light on this primary:

Which best describes your education?	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
More than high school grad	82%	42%	6%	37%	13%
High school graduate or less	18%	36%	10%	42%	7%

Do you or does someone in your household belong to a labor union?	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Yes, I do	12%	28%	10%	47%	12%
Yes, someone else does	9%	-	-	-	-
Yes, I do and someone else does	1%	-	-	-	-
No one does	77%	44%	5%	36%	12%

No matter how you voted today, do you usually think of yourself as a:	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Democrat	9%	18%	3%	53%	17%
Republican	60%	48%	7%	37%	6%
Independent or something else	31%	35%	7%	34%	21%

How do you feel about the Tea Party movement?	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Support	52%	42%	8%	41%	7%
Neutral	29%	45%	5%	30%	16%
Oppose	17%	35%	5%	39%	15%

Religion, combined Protestant and other Christian	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Protestant/Other Christian	57%	40%	7%	42%	10%
Catholic	30%	44%	7%	37%	8%
Jewish	1%	-	-	-	-
Something else	5%	-	-	-	-
None	7%	-	-	-	-

Which comes closest to your position? Abortion should be:	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Legal	36%	48%	6%	24%	18%
Illegal	59%	38%	6%	47%	8%

Which ONE of these candidate qualities mattered most in deciding how you voted today? (CHECK ONLY ONE)	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Can defeat Barack Obama	32%	61%	8%	24%	4%
Is a true conservative	16%	18%	6%	58%	15%
Has strong moral character	24%	17%	2%	59%	20%
Has the right experience	22%	57%	12%	16%	9%

Which best describes your vote today?	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
I strongly favor my candidate	45%	46%	7%	32%	13%
I like my candidate but with reservations	38%	44%	4%	40%	10%
I dislike the other candidates	16%	22%	9%	51%	14%

If I post any more of the fascinating data, I may be in violation of fair use, so I'll point you once again to the exit poll.


Results and Exit Polling Data for Arizona



Here are the results of the Fox News exit polls. I have included the questions and results I feel are most interesting.

Do you work full-time for pay?	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Yes	55%	50%	14%	25%	10%
No	45%	49%	19%	25%	6%

No matter how you voted today, do you usually think of yourself as a:	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Democrat	3%	-	-	-	-
Republican	75%	51%	16%	28%	6%
Independent or something else	23%	35%	22%	22%	18%

How do you feel about the Tea Party movement?	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Support	64%	43%	19%	31%	6%
Neutral	24%	54%	14%	19%	10%
Oppose	10%	55%	11%	6%	19%

White evangelical/born-again Christians Total Romney Gingrich Santorum Paul White evangelical/born-again Christians 37% 35% 20% 37% 7% All others 63% 54% 15% 20% 9%

Are you: Total Romney Gingrich Santorum Paul Protestant 37% 43% 23% 31% 3% Catholic 17% 44% 12% 34% 9% Mormon 14% 93% 2% 2% 3% Other Christian 17% 37% 18% 35% 9% Jewish - - - - - Muslim - - - - - Other 7% - - - - None 7% - - - -

Which comes closest to your position? Abortion should be:	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Legal	36%	52%	16%	21%	9%
Illegal	57%	50%	14%	28%	6%

Should most illegal immigrants working in the United States be:	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Offered a chance to apply for citizenship	34%	53%	16%	19%	9%
Allowed to stay as temporary workers	28%	50%	18%	27%	4%
Deported to the country they came from	34%	47%	15%	28%	10%

Regardless of how you voted today, which ONE of these candidates do you think would be most likely to defeat Barack Obama in November? (CHECK ONLY ONE)	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Gingrich	13%	13%	64%	20%	2%
Paul	4%	-	-	-	-
Romney	57%	78%	7%	10%	5%
Santorum	18%	5%	7%	83%	4%

Is your opinion of John McCain:	Total	Romney	Gingrich	Santorum	Paul
Favorable	53%	50%	15%	25%	10%
Unfavorable	40%	37%	21%	30%	7%

Speechifying



Mitt Romney's Victory Speech


Rick Santorum finishded second in both states, and this is what he had to say about that


Ron Paul remarks on his finishes in Arizona and Michigan after being introduced by his son, US Senator Rand Paul


This is what Newt Gingfrich said about the night after being introduced by his wife, Callista Gingrich

My Thoughts

I still view Mitt Romney as inevitable, especially as long as the "true" conservative voting bloc is split between Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich and by looking at the exit polling data. All Mitt Romney has to do to win any state (and eventually the nomination) is for the vote total between him and Ron Paul exceed 50%. 


He continues to out raise his opponents in donations and is the only one with a national infrastructure capable of competing with Barack Obama in the general election in the fall. However, the longer the primary drags on, the less likely it is that the nominee will win in November. I think that if the primary still hasn't produced a clear winner by May, then Obama will very likely win the 2012 election and serve a second term.


Next Up on the Primary Schedule


The Washington State Caucuses are on Saturday, March 3rd and Super Tuesday is (of course) Tuesday, March 6th. 11 States will hold primaries and caucuses. They are: Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Ohio, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Vermont.

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