Editor’s note: Due to the high number of Republican candidates in the 9th Congressional District, this story is split into two parts. For the first installment, click here.
RALEIGH — Ten candidates are lined up to seek the Republican nomination in the 9th Congressional District, and each is trying to distuinquish himself during the weeks leading up to North Carolina’s May 8 primary.
Kenneth Leonczyk
A lawyer and pastor living in south Charlotte, Leonczyk formerly was legal counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee. He is confident “I’m the only person running in this district and maybe any district who’s read [the] Dodd-Frank [financial reform law],” for which he provided oversight to congressional members.
“My opponents are almost exclusively politicians” with more name recognition, he said. “The difference between them and me is I’m not a professional politician.”
He said only 50 percent of the Dodd-Frank rules have been promulgated. He wants to sunset those, while eliminating the other 50 percent with a targeted appeal before they are enacted.
“By taking these shackles off of our financial services industry, we’re going to immediately create more jobs in this district,” he said.
A proponent of states’ rights, “When you’ve got the money and power at the local level, you’ve got officials who are accountable to the people … not some bureaucrat in an administrative agency,” Leonczyk said.
He is pro-life, supports the marriage amendment, and is “very upset” with what he calls the ObamaCare assault on medical conscience provisions.
Richard Lynch
A manufacturer and small business owner from Belmont, Lynch said his entire campaign is focused “on one thing that I believe is the central element to addressing the economic woes in this country, the debt in this country, the employment rate in this country, and that is we have got to get back to constitutional government.”
He touts a five-step plan for constitutional restoration. It would limit all legislative bills to 10 pages. Legislation would have to be accompanied by the constitutional article authorizing it. The bill could contain no content not pertaining to the title of the bill. With a few exceptions for national defense, bills would be written in laymen’s terms and posted online for seven days. Any bill requiring expenditures would have to disclose total costs, funding sources, who would benefit, and a sunset date.
“Congress does not need experienced politicians. Congress needs the people who have experienced the hardships created by those politicians,” Lynch said. As a small businessman, he said, he has fought the NLRB, unions, regulations, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“I am not going to Washington to make it a lifestyle,” Lynch said.
He signed a contract with GOOOH, a nonpartisan organization seeking to elect citizen lawmakers, pledging to serve only two terms. He supports the fair tax, opposes the creation of federal czars, and believes “we are enslaving our children and grandchildren” to debt.
Edwin Peacock
A financial adviser to businesses and former Charlotte city councilman, Peacock said his primary issues are restoring confidence in the economy, creating jobs, establishing a sustainable government, and maintaining a strong defense.
He said he is an effective leader because he can reach across the aisle to Democrats.
“I am in a field of people that are on the far right and don’t get along with each other or are simply taking positions that aren’t achievable,” Peacock said. “I’m the only Republican that does not support Amendment One. It’s bad for business and it sends the wrong message if you are serious about creating jobs. Our top five employers embrace inclusiveness.”
He said America has “a burdensome tax structure” and the top priority would be bringing down marginal and personal tax rates. He said he would work for approval of the highway reauthorization bill and Employee Free Choice Act.
“The Ryan budget [proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and passed by the House of Representatives] doesn’t satisfy all of the elements of what the conservative agenda would be,” Peacock said, “but it’s better to take a half a loaf of bread than nothing.”
Increasing employment “starts first with the belief all jobs are created locally, not in Washington,” Peacock said. He supports a sound energy policy with a mix of all forms of energy generation.
James Pendergraph
Attempts to contact the former Mecklenburg County sheriff and current county commissioner were not successful.
His campaign website notes, among other issues, that he wants to eliminate the inheritance tax and stop sending money to countries that oppose America. He supports a line-item veto and wants to secure the borders and enforce existing immigration laws.
He supports the right-to-life and school choice.
Robert Pittinger
The former state senator and owner of a real estate investment firm believes: “The elephant in the room is a $16 trillion debt. Our government spends $3.7 trillion annually and takes in $2.2 trillion. That doesn’t add up, does it?”
Pittinger, of Charlotte, said he’s “the only guy running who meets a payroll. Some of his opponents have “been in government their entire life and do nothing but receive a government check and a government pension. We need somebody who understands how to meet budgets, how to manage, who’s had the responsibility for meeting payrolls, knows and understands what small businesses deal with.”
Obama’s heavy dependence on taxes and redistribution of wealth is not working, Pittinger said. He supports the Ryan budget.
“We need a pro-growth economy,” he said. “You can’t grow the economy with a heavy tax burden. John Kennedy knew that. He lifted the tax burden. Ronald Reagan knew that. He lifted the tax burden, and the economy took off.”
Pittinger has received the endorsement of North Carolina Right-to-Life President Barbara Holt. He co-sponsored the marriage amendment in its original form in the state Senate in 2003, 2005, and 2007.
Mike Steinberg
An author and Christian pastor living in Matthews, Steinberg’s campaign is built around “limiting the federal government to its constitutional role,” he said.
“I’m not going there to bring home the bacon, I’m going there to slaughter the pigs,” Steinberg said.
His opponents are “not really hitting the root of the problem, that we’ve basically ignored the Constitution and therefore we have a huge amount of spending and programs that fall outside of Congress’ authority” and should be eliminated, Steinberg said.
Steinberg authored and signed a transparency agreement to limit himself to three terms of two years in office, not to hire friends and family unless vetted and recommended by a third party, to refuse the congressional health care package and congressional pension plan, and to authorize any resident of his congressional district to audit his records to show he’s not enriching himself on the job.
He said he supports the marriage amendment and “I believe constitutional rights should apply from conception.”
Dan Way is a contributor to Carolina Journal.