Asheville News

Keever beats state Rep. Goforth in primary election

Jason Sandford May 5, 2010

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Patsy Keever beat incumbent state Rep. Bruce Goforth in Tuesday night’s Democratic primary election for Buncombe County’s N.C. House District 115. Some might call it an upset, but a number of folks saw this one coming from a mile away.

Keever, a former public school teacher and Buncombe County commissioner, is known in Asheville for her progressive positions on issues. Bruce Goforth, who was seeking a fifth term, had gained stature in Raleigh for his more conservative stance.

Goforth, who had never faced a primary election before, was pulling out all the stops. He was getting fund-raising help from his Raleigh colleagues and the party was backing him in a big way. The North Carolina Association of Educators, a powerful lobby, endorsed Gorforth despite Keever’s record as a long-time teacher at Enka Middle School.

Keever used a sharp website and savvy social marketing to overcome Goforth’s more traditional advantages. And in Keever’s campaign manager, Drew Reisinger, we have another example of a smart former Obama campaign worker applying his skills to a local campaign.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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3 Comments

SW May 6, 2010

I don’t live in Keever’s district, but I talked to a couple of people who voted for specifically because they were disgusted by negative robo-calls from Goforth.

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Ash May 5, 2010

getting waxed in Buncombe County, it looks like. but he’s won the district.

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ben May 5, 2010

And Shuler is getting waxed with 4 precincts unaccounted for? Really?

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