Durham People's Alliance is proud to announce its 2014 endorsements for North Carolina legislative and judicial races, Durham School Board, Durham District Attorney, and Durham Sheriff.

1. DURHAM
PEOPLE’S
ALLIANCE
PAC
ENDORSES
CANDIDATES
FOR
2014
RACES
Members
of
the
Durham
People’s
Alliance
Political
Action
Committee
met
Thursday
evening
to
endorse
candidates
for
the
2014
elections.
Well
over
100
members
of
the
organization
gathered
at
St.
Luke’s
Church
to
debate
their
favorites
for
Durham
sheriff,
district
attorney,
school
board,
legislative,
and
court
seats
at
all
levels.
SCHOOL
BOARD
For
the
district
one
seat
on
the
school
board,
the
People’s
Alliance
PAC
endorses
Mike
Lee.
Mike’s
questionnaire
showed
that
he
stands
with
the
PA
on
the
major
education
issues,
including
his
desire
for
an
open
superintendent
search,
concerns
about
high
stakes
testing,
and
a
desire
to
fight
the
General
Assembly’s
attacks
on
public
education.
Mike
brings
a
unique
background
in
computer
technology
and
business
to
the
Board.
He
has
an
advanced
degree
in
business
with
a
focus
in
information
technology
and
he
is
a
manager
at
Credit
Suisse
in
global
data
services.
Mike
can
help
the
Board
identify
places
for
efficiency
and
develop
sound
budgets.
We
like
the
fact
that
Mike
has
a
child
attending
elementary
school
in
the
Durham
public
school
system.
The
People’s
Alliance
feels
that
he
is
smart,
capable,
and
can
bring
different
people
together
on
important
issues.
For
the
district
two
school
board
seat,
the
PAC
endorses
Sendolo
Diaminah.
Sendolo
is
a
community
organizer
who
has
been
especially
active
in
housing,
poverty,
and
teacher
rights.
He
is
thoughtful
and
persuasive.
His
passion
for
service
is
infectious.
Sendolo
is
in
tune
with
a
population
in
Durham
that
is
not
always
represented
on
the
Board
or
served
properly
in
our
schools.
He
has
a
fresh
point
of
view
on
ways
to
help
close
the
achievement
gap
for
children
of
color
and
children
struggling
with
poverty.
In
2012
he
won
an
Indy
Award
and
the
Louis
Burnham
Award
for
his
advocacy
and
service
for
Durham’s
citizens
with
desperate
housing
needs.
Sendolo
is
widely
known
for
his
even
temperament
and
his
ability
to
promote
an
atmosphere
of
listening
and
collaboration.
Sendolo
can
build
bridges
between
the
parents,
teachers,
and
administration
at
DPS.
We
look
to
him
to
help
the
school
board
move
past
the
divisions
that
have
sometimes
plagued
it
in
the
past.
PA
PAC
endorses
Matt
Sears
for
the
district
three
seat
on
the
school
board.
Matt
is
a
former
math
teacher
and
was
named
Teacher
of
the
Year
when
he
taught
at
Hillside
High
School.
Matt
now
works
with
a
non-­‐profit
that
provides
coaching
and
support
for
science,
technology,
and
mathematics
instruction
in
public
schools
across
the
state.
His
broad
base
of
knowledge
about
all
aspects
of
public
schools
and
his
concern
for
the
future
of
public
education
convinces
us
that
he
is
the
best
candidate
in
this
race.
No
candidate
is
better
positioned
to
help
the
school
board
understand
the
instructional
needs
of
students
and
teachers,
what
works
and
what
does
not.
His
own
young
children
will
attend
Durham
public
schools
in
the
coming
years.
This
is
significant
to
People’s
Alliance
members.
Matt
is
patient
and
respectful
when
listening
to
others.
His
positions
on
the
issues
are
well
reasoned
and
presented
professionally.
In
district
four,
PA
PAC
endorses
Natalie
Beyer.
She
is
running
unopposed
for
her
second
term
on
the
Board.
Her
first
term
has
been
marked
by
thoughtful
consideration
of
many
contentious
topics.
Natalie
has
proven
herself
to
be
a
tireless
worker
who
carefully
informs
herself
on
all
of
the
issues.
She
has
moved
the
Board
into
an
era
of
activism
at
the
state
level
and
been
an
important
force
for

2. progressive
push
back
at
the
General
Assembly
from
other
Boards
across
the
state.
We
think
she
has
earned
a
second
term
on
the
board
and
we
are
grateful
for
her
service
so
far.
SHERIFF
The
People’s
Alliance
PAC
endorses
Mike
Andrews
for
a
full
term
as
Durham
County
Sheriff.
Andrews
is
from
Durham
and
has
risen
through
the
ranks
at
the
sheriff’s
office.
He
was
picked
by
Sheriff
Hill
as
his
successor
and
was
appointed
by
the
BOCC
to
fill
Sheriff
Hill’s
unexpired
term
beginning
in
2012.
Mike
is
a
fine
law
enforcement
official
with
a
solid
record
of
law
enforcement
management.
We
like
that
he
is
part
of,
and
has
continued,
a
culture
of
policing
that
is
personal,
personable,
and
moderate.
Andrews
is
always
accessible
and
always
responsive.
In
his
tenure
he
has
addressed
long
festering
complaints
about
the
unsanitary
conditions
at
the
jail.
We
like
that
he
places
emphasis
in
updating
communications
and
technology
systems
at
the
sheriff’s
office.
We
look
to
Andrews
to
encourage
advancement
within
the
ranks
of
the
department
for
deputies
and
employees
from
every
background.
DISTRICT
COURT
For
the
Evans
Seat
on
the
Durham
District
Court,
People’s
Alliance
PAC
endorses
Judge
Pat
Evans.
Evans
has
been
on
the
bench
for
a
little
over
three
years.
She
is
intelligent,
hardworking
and
has
experience
working
in
the
all
the
District
Courts.
The
compassion
Judge
Evans
displays
from
the
bench
for
young
people
in
trouble
with
the
law
is
compelling
to
our
members.
We
believe
that
during
her
first
term
she
has
grown
from
practicing
lawyer
into
a
promising
jurist
and
that
her
growth
will
continue
in
a
second
term.
For
the
Walker
Seat
on
the
District
Court,
we
endorse
Judge
Doretta
Walker.
Prior
to
being
elected
to
her
first
term
in
2011,
Judge
Walker
served
as
an
Assistant
District
Attorney
in
Durham
where
she
was
assigned
the
most
complex
white-­‐collar
crime
cases.
We
are
impressed
with
Judge
Walker’s
work
outside
the
courtroom.
She
teaches
criminal
justice,
works
with
Senior
Citizens
and
Law
Enforcement
Together
(SALT),
and
volunteers
for
Partners
for
Youth.
In
the
courtroom,
she
is
patient
and
thoughtful.
As
with
Judge
Evans
we
are
confident
that
Judge
Walker
will
continue
to
grow
in
a
second
term
on
the
District
Court
bench.
PA
PAC
endorses
Judge
Nancy
Gordon
for
the
Gordon
Seat
on
the
District
Court.
Gordon
has
served
as
a
district
court
judge
for
more
than
seven
years.
During
that
time
she
has
earned
praise
from
attorneys
and
fellow
judges
for
her
superior
knowledge
of
the
law,
her
hard
work
and
dedication,
and
her
unswerving
insistence
upon
excellence.
She
was
the
first
certified
family
law
attorney
in
Durham
County
and
family
law
makes
up
a
significant
portion
of
the
business
of
the
district
court.
None
of
Judge
Gordon’s
decisions
has
ever
been
overturned
by
the
Court
of
Appeals.
She
is
known
for
being
in
court
early,
prepared,
and
ready
to
handle
her
case
load.
She
is
praised
for
her
interest
in
the
welfare
of
the
families
and
children
who
appear
before
her
and
for
the
special
needs
of
veterans.
Recently,
she
successfully
advocated
for
funding
for
a
new
veteran’s
court
to
provide
intensified
supervision
for
veterans
whose
legal
troubles
are
attributable
to
the
stresses
of
their
service.
Judge
Gordon’s
capacity
for
work
and
her
commitment
to
service
convince
us
that
she
deserves
another
term
on
the
Durham
District
Court
bench.

3. PA
PAC
also
endorses
Judges,
Morey,
Hill,
and
Wilks
for
re-­‐election
to
their
respective
seats
on
the
district
court
bench.
All
three
are
running
unopposed.
Each
of
these
seasoned
judges
has
earned
high
praise
from
litigants
and
the
lawyers
who
regularly
appear
before
them.
Judge
Morey
proposed
a
new
program
in
Durham,
where
16-­‐
and
17-­‐year-­‐olds
who
have
committed
non-­‐violent
misdemeanors
can
avoid
arrest
and
instead
be
diverted
to
community-­‐based
programs.
This
initiative
is
the
first
of
its
kind
in
North
Carolina.
She
contributes
to
the
Durham
community
by
teaching
about
the
judicial
system
and
serving
with
various
charitable
and
non-­‐profit
organizations.
Judge
Hill
is
praised
for
his
work
in
arbitrations,
his
keen
interest
in
juveniles,
and
the
Youth
Treatment
Drug
Court.
He
is
known
for
his
scrupulous
application
of
the
law
to
the
facts
and
his
respectful
treatment
of
everyone
in
the
courthouse.
Judge
Wilks
is
hard-­‐working,
accessible,
patient,
and
knowledgeable.
He
has
been
an
adjunct
professor
of
law
at
NCCU
and
contributes
to
the
Durham
community
by
volunteering
at
Rogers
Herr
Middle
School,
the
George
White
Bar,
and
other
organizations.
We
have
supported
all
three
candidates
in
the
past
and
are
happy
to
do
so
again.
DISTRICT
ATTORNEY
PA
PAC
endorses
Roger
Echols
in
the
race
for
Durham
District
Attorney.
Roger
Echols
is
an
experienced
prosecutor
who
currently
runs
the
day
to
day
operations
of
the
DA’s
office.
Echols
displays
the
temperament
necessary
to
keep
the
office
on
an
even
keel
during
the
next
four
years
and
to
maintain
positive
working
relationships
with
the
judges
and
the
defense
bar.
Echols
has
also
proposed
a
number
of
concrete
steps
to
streamline
the
operations
of
the
court
system
and
to
improve
the
training
of
prosecutors
in
the
office.
He
is
thoughtful
and
precise
in
his
communication
about
the
business
of
the
District
Attorney’s
Office.
His
understanding
of
the
issues
confronting
the
DA’s
office
and
the
day-­‐
to-­‐day
concerns
of
prosecutors
is
comprehensive.
He
knows
that
the
decisions
made
by
the
district
attorney
and
all
of
his
subordinates
impact
upon
the
life
and
liberty
of
those
accused
of
committing
crimes
and
the
welfare
and
peace
of
mind
of
the
victims
of
crime.
He
is
praised
by
defense
attorneys
for
his
courtesy
and
his
honesty.
He
takes
great
pains
to
communicate
with
precision.
He
supports
raising
the
age
limit
for
juvenile
defendants
and
he
supports
programs
alternative
to
incarceration.
Echols
opposes
the
death
penalty
and
will
advocate
against
it.
Echols
grew
up
in
Hillsborough
and
lived
and
worked
as
a
prosecutor
in
Person
County
before
joining
the
Durham
DA’s
staff.
NORTH
CAROLINA
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
NC
SENATE
The
People’s
Alliance
PAC
is
happy
to
again
endorse
Durham’s
incumbent
state
senators,
Democrats
Floyd
McKissick
and
Mike
Woodard.
They
are
both
veterans
of
the
Durham
City
Council
and
work
to
convey
Durham’s
concerns
to
Raleigh,
even
as
they
struggle
as
leaders
of
the
Democratic
Party
in
a
Republican-­‐controlled
legislature.
They
are
both
unopposed
in
the
May
primary,
but
Woodard
faces
Republican
opposition
in
November.
They
are
fighting
the
good
fight
for
progressive
values
in
the
North
Carolina
Senate,
and
will
work
for
education,
health
care,
and
full
access
to
a
fair
ballot.
Senator
McKissick
is
Deputy
Democratic
Leader
in
the
Senate,
and
chairman
of
the
North
Carolina
Legislative
Black
Caucus.
NC
HOUSE

4. Four
Democratic
members
of
the
North
Carolina
House
of
Representatives
currently
represent
parts
of
Durham
County.
We
are
proud
to
endorse
them
all.
Representatives
Larry
Hall,
Paul
Luebke,
and
H.
M.
(Mickey)
Michaux
are
running
for
re-­‐election
and
newcomer
Graig
Meyer,
appointed
to
fill
the
seat
vacated
by
Valerie
Foushee,
is
running
for
the
first
time.
As
in
the
state
senate,
these
progressive
Democrats
fight
an
uphill
battle
to
enact
progressive
legislation
for
the
people
of
North
Carolina.
Representatives
Meyer
and
Michaux
face
Republican
opposition
in
November.
Hall
is
the
Democratic
Leader
of
the
North
Carolina
House,
and
previously
served
as
a
Democratic
Caucus
Whip.
NC
SUPREME
COURT
Only
one
state
wide
judicial
seat
will
be
on
the
May
ballot.
In
this
contest,
PA
PAC
endorses
incumbent
Justice
Robin
Hudson
for
re-­‐election
over
her
two
conservative
challengers.
Justice
Hudson
is
an
experienced
and
thoughtful
jurist
who
carefully
weighs
the
merits
of
every
case
before
her.
Her
background
prior
to
taking
the
bench
in
2000
as
an
appellate
defender
and
in
private
practice
has
served
her
well
on
the
bench.
We
are
concerned
that
the
two
conservatives
who
have
filed
against
her
are
hoping
that
the
larger
Republican
primary
turnout
will
result
in
them
finishing
first
and
second,
thereby
knocking
Justice
Hudson
off
of
the
November
ballot.
Such
a
result
would
deprive
voters
of
any
meaningful
choice
in
the
general
election.
We
urge
all
progressive
voters
to
pay
close
attention
to
this
critical
contest.
An
additional
factor
is
the
ending
of
public
financing
for
judicial
elections,
forcing
the
candidates
to
spend
more
of
their
time
on
fundraising.
In
addition
to
losing
Chief
Justice
Sarah
Parker,
many
of
the
statewide
judicial
contests
feature
progressive
women
being
opposed
by
conservative
men.
The
People’s
Alliance
will
work
for
the
continuation
of
the
hard-­‐won
diversity
in
the
membership
of
our
state
courts,
the
critical
third
branch
of
our
constitutional
government.
THE
OTHER
STATEWIDE
JUDICIAL
CONTESTS
WILL
APPEAR
ON
THE
NOVEMBER
BALLOT
For
the
seat
of
retiring
Supreme
Court
Justice
Sarah
Parker,
the
People’s
Alliance
PAC
declines
to
endorse
either
of
the
conservative
candidates.
Neither
of
them
is
at
all
aligned
with
PA’s
progressive
values.
Justice
Martin
has
been
a
stalwart
conservative
on
the
NC
Supreme
Court
for
15
years,
and
Judge
Lewis
is
a
controversial
figure
as
the
conservative
chief
resident
superior
court
judge
of
Brunswick
County.
Judge
Lewis
announced
in
2013
that
she
would
challenge
Justice
Cheri
Beasley
(an
appointee
of
Governor
Perdue),
and
raised
money
from
Republicans
across
the
state
for
that
purpose
before
switching
races
to
run
against
Martin
for
Chief
Justice
just
before
the
close
of
the
filing
period.
PA
PAC
endorses
Judge
Sam
Ervin
for
election
to
the
open
seat
on
the
NC
Supreme
Court
former
held
by
Justice
Martin.
On
the
NC
Court
of
Appeals,
Judge
Ervin’s
opinions
are
always
well-­‐researched,
well-­‐written,
and
well-­‐received.
We
are
impressed
by
his
education,
erudition,
and
exemplary
record
of
public
service
on
the
bench
and
as
a
member
of
the
Utilities
Commission.
Judge
Ervin
lost
his
previous
race
for
the
NC
Supreme
Court
in
2012
after
a
tidal
wave
of
money
from
anonymous
individuals
and
groups
from
outside
of
North
Carolina
was
spent
on
behalf
of
his
conservative
opponent.
He
is
running
again
because
he
believes
that
the
courts
should
not
continue
to
be
politicized
by
this
outside
money.
The
People’s
Alliance
PAC
endorses
incumbent
Justice
Cheri
Beasley
for
re-­‐election
to
her
current
seat
on
the
NC
Supreme
Court.
Prior
to
her
appointment
in
2012
by
Governor
Perdue
,
Justice
Beasley
was
a
distinguished
member
of
the
NC
Court
of
Appeals,
having
been
elected
in
2008
by
defeating
incumbent
arch-­‐conservative
Judge
Doug
McCullough.
In
that
race,
Justice
Beasley
became
the
first

5. woman
of
color
in
the
history
of
NC
to
win
election
to
statewide
office
without
having
first
been
appointed
to
the
office
by
the
governor.
She
is
familiar
with
the
Triangle
region,
having
worked
in
Research
Triangle
Park,
and
for
the
Wake
County
District
Attorney.
She
serves
as
a
fair
and
impartial
member
of
the
North
Carolina
Supreme
Court,
and
deserves
re-­‐election.
The
People’s
Alliance
PAC
endorses
Lucy
Inman
for
the
open
seat
on
the
NC
Court
of
Appeals
formerly
held
by
Judge
Hunter.
Judge
Inman
currently
serves
as
a
Special
Superior
Court
Judge
handling
cases
all
across
the
state,
while
her
opponent
is
a
district
court
judge
in
Johnson
County.
Prior
to
taking
the
bench
in
2010,
Judge
Inman
was
in
private
practice
representing
business
clients
and
individuals
in
complex
cases
and
she
also
represented
death
row
inmates
in
North
Carolina
in
challenges
to
the
lethal
injection
protocol
which
was
in
effect
at
that
time.
Her
opponent
touts
his
affiliation
with
“Tea
Party”-­‐
related
organizations
on
his
website.
PA
PAC
endorses
incumbent
Judge
Donna
Stroud,
who
is
running
opposed
for
re-­‐election
to
the
Court
of
Appeals.
Judge
Stroud
has
served
with
distinction
since
her
election
to
the
Court
of
Appeals
in
2006;
prior
to
her
election,
Judge
Stroud
was
a
district
court
judge
in
Wake
County.
Judge
Stroud
is
well-­‐
known
as
for
her
expertise
in
family
law.
PA
PAC
endorses
incumbent
Judge
Mark
Davis,
who
is
running
for
election
to
his
current
seat
on
the
NC
Court
of
Appeals.
Prior
to
his
appointment
to
the
Court,
Judge
Davis
served
as
General
Counsel
for
Governor
Perdue,
and
before
that
he
served
under
Roy
Cooper
as
Special
Deputy
Attorney
General
in
the
NC
Department
of
Justice.
Judge
Davis’s
opponent
has
been
endorsed
by
county
Republican
parties
across
North
Carolina.
US
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES
Durham
County
was
formerly
entirely
in
the
District
of
David
Price,
and
now
is
gerrymandered
into
four
congressional
districts,
two
heavily
Democratic,
and
two
primarily
Republican.
The
People’s
Alliance
PAC
endorses
incumbent
Representatives
G.
K.
Butterfield
and
David
Price.
Rep.
Butterfield
has
served
the
First
District
and
Durham
County
since
2013,
and
has
deep
roots
in
our
county,
having
attended
N.
C.
Central
University.
He
will
appear
on
the
May
ballot
in
the
Democratic
primary.
Representative
David
Price,
of
the
Fourth
District,
has
only
Republican
opposition
in
November,
and
is
a
leader
among
House
Democrats,
serving
in
the
House
since
1986.
In
the
Sixth
District,
the
People’s
Alliance
PAC
endorses
Laura
Fjeld,
who
has
over
thirty
years
of
experience
working
in
business
and
education.
Her
public
service
includes
her
work
as
Vice
President
and
General
Counsel
for
the
seventeen-­‐campus
University
of
North
Carolina
system,
where
she
worked
well
with
Democrats
and
Republicans
to
protect
the
quality
of
our
state’s
public
colleges
for
all
North
Carolina
citizens.
In
addition,
she
has
been
a
consistent
advocate
for
children
and
education.
We
are
impressed
with
her
determination
to
run
a
progressive
campaign
in
this
difficult
district.
In
the
Thirteenth
District,
PA
PAC
endorses
Virginia
Conlon,
a
small
business
owner
whose
life
has
been
hallmarked
by
public
service.
Conlon
lives
in
the
Raleigh
area
and
has
supported
Meals-­‐on-­‐Wheels,
the
Triangle
Red
Cross,
and
the
North
Carolina
Museum
of
Art,
worked
at
the
Food
Bank
for
Central
and
Eastern
North
Carolina,
while
raising
a
family
that
has
proudly
supported
her
public
service.
We
admire
Conlon
for
standing
up
to
represent
progressive
values
in
this
district.
We
urge
Durham
voters
to
support
Fjeld
and
Conlon
in
their
Democratic
primaries
and
in
November.

6. US
SENATE
The
People’s
Alliance
PAC
endorses
incumbent
Kay
Hagan
for
re-­‐election
to
the
US
Senate.
Conservative
groups
like
Americans
For
Prosperity
have
targeted
North
Carolina
and
Kay
Hagan
in
2014.
They
are
poised
to
spend
more
than
$27
million
here
by
Election
Day;
that’s
more
than
twice
what
any
outside
group
has
spent
in
the
past
dozen
years
in
our
congressional
races.
These
staggering
figures
make
North
Carolina
ground
zero
in
the
battle
to
retain
Democratic
control
of
the
Senate.
This
alone
would
make
us
rally
to
Hagan’s
defense,
but
in
addition
she
understands
the
needs
of
North
Carolinians,
and
fights
for
health
care,
education,
women’s
reproductive
rights,
and
increasing
the
minimum
wage.
She
will
combat
the
special
interests
and
backward
ideologies
embodied
by
her
various
Republican
opponents.
She
has
nominal
opposition
in
the
Democratic
primary,
and
deserves
a
strong
vote
in
May
to
show
her
strength
for
November.
___________________________
Turnout
for
the
meeting
was
high
and
debate
about
the
races
ran
from
7:00
p.m.
until
very
nearly
midnight.
It
is
a
PA
PAC
tradition
that
everyone
who
wishes
to
speak
at
an
endorsement
meeting
be
given
an
opportunity
to
speak.
On
Thursday
night,
the
organization
welcomed
many
new
members.
The
People’s
Alliance’s
membership
has
been
on
an
upswing
over
the
last
few
years.
The
organization’s
fight
against
Amendment
One
during
2012
caused
many
citizens
to
sign
on.
The
People’s
Alliance
and
its
PAC
have
been
active
in
Durham
political
life
for
nearly
40
years.
Candidate
endorsements
are
made
by
the
members
of
the
organization
in
a
democratic
process
in
which
decisions
are
made
by
a
vote
of
the
majority.
In
preparation
for
endorsement
debates,
the
PAC
researches
candidates’
backgrounds
and
challenges
them
on
the
issues
with
interviews
and
questionnaires.
To
learn
more
about
the
People’s
Alliance’s
endorsements,
see
the
candidates’
responses
to
the
PA
PAC
questionnaires
and
their
resumes
at
the
People’s
Alliance
website
-­‐
www.durhamPA.org
Contact:
Durham
People’s
Alliance
PAC
Coordinators
Milo
Pyne
(919)
943-­‐9327
milopyne@yahoo.com
Lorisa
Seibel
(919)
801-­‐6863
Lorisa@mindspring.com
James
Hill
(919)
213-­‐0888
jehill1532@gmail.com
Tom
Miller
(919)
599-­‐7618
tom-­‐miller1@nc.rr.com
Durham
People’s
Alliance
Staff:
(919)
682-­‐7777
PA@Durhampa.org