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Online NewsHour Special Report:
Election '98
Nov. 2, 1998:
North Carolina State professor Michael
Dimock analyzes the race on election eve.
Oct.
26, 1998:
Professor Michael Dimock
on why Rep. Bob Etheridge is a difficult man to tar.
Oct. 19, 1998:
NC State professor Michael
Dimock on the impact of President Clinton's problems.
Oct. 10, 1998:
NC State professor Michael
Dimock reports on this year's campaign landscape.
Oct. 4, 1998:
Jeffrey Kaye reports on the North
Carolina race
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Political diversity runs high in North Carolina's second district.
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 Historically
known as a Democratic region, the district elected David Funderburk,
a Republican, to Congress in 1994. It was the first time this century
a Democrat had lost the seat. But the Republican's victory was short-lived
when voters elected to oust Funderburk in 1996 for Democrat Bob Etheridge
by a vote of 56-43 percent. Although Funderburk was the only Republican
incumbent to lose that year, the district still went to Republican Bob
Dole.
Republican Dan Page is hoping that in 1998 President Clinton's inappropriate
relationship with Monica Lewinsky will cause this socially conservative
district to dump Etheridge. Page has already started running ads accusing
Bob Etheridge of endorsing President Clinton and his behavior. Etheridge
has countered by voting for the Republican impeachment inquiry.
One of the major contributing factors to the second district's changing
political landscape is the state's latest round of redistricting. Currently,
North Carolina's second district encompasses most of the city of Raleigh,
and Sampson, Johnston and Harnett Counties. Before its 1997 redistricting,
it also encompassed the substantially Democratic city of Durham. Consequently,
the district has become more rural, with many tobacco farms, and more
conservative. But the district is also home to several universities,
such as Norh Carolina State and Duke, which adds a more liberal slant
to the area's politics.
Michael A. Dimock, professor
of Political Science at North Carolina State, gives his views of how
the race is shaping up.
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