It’s not usual to find a statewide elected official at a September fundraiser for a rural city council candidate.
Yet Sunday, there was Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, helping raise money for the campaign of Kinston City Council candidate John Nix.
“Is there anything else going on in North Carolina today,” Forest joked, at the residence of Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse, where the event was held. “Where else would I be on a Sunday afternoon?”
Forest said he was there reciprocating the work Nix and his wife Michele did for his campaign last year.
“The Nixes, they helped out on our campaign — they were good friends when we were traveling around the state, so we wanted to come and lend a hand as John runs for office,” Forest said.
About 75-80 people were expected for the event, which featured chicken and a whole pig barbecued on site, with the requisite sides and beverages.
Speaking before the assembled, Nix said one of the reasons he decided to run for city council again was the success of his municipal nonpartisan voting effort, which he said means voters will have to select a candidate instead of pulling the lever for one party or another.
He also emphasized his deep ties to the community and his work on the city planning board and utilities advisory commission, recently taking over the chairmanship of the latter.
“I’ve worked hard to get where we are in business (at Matrix East) and I’m going to work just as hard for the City of Kinston,” Nix said.
Before attendees sat down for the meal, Forest related a story about the leadership of former President Ronald Reagan, and governmental change that can be made at the local level.
“The closer you get to local politics, like this, the more opportunity you have for change,” Forest said.
He later added about Nix, “John is a man of conviction, he’s a man of passion, he’s got a strong backbone — he’s a man who’s going to do what he says he’s going to do.”
The event was co-hosted by state Rep. John Bell, R-Wayne, state Sen. Louis Pate, R-Wayne, and local businessman Jim Perry.
Election Day is Nov. 5.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.