HAMPTON DELLINGER AND A DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT:
MAJOR DIFFERENCES ON MAJOR ISSUES

Dear Fellow North Carolinian,

My name is Hampton Dellinger, and I am a Democrat running for Lt. Governor. For all the recent progress North Carolina has made, there is more — much more — we need to do. I will bring a new, progressive approach to solving the critical challenges we face. Being a top state for business is great, but it is not good enough. Our success in recruiting and retaining corporations must be matched by well-funded and effective schools, healthy children and a healthy environment, and greater economic and social justice.

I believe that before casting their ballots, voters deserve to know where candidates stand on major issues. And candidates for public office should be encouraged to discuss meaningful policy disagreements provided they do so openly and fairly. Such discussions can be particularly useful for voters when — as with the Lt. Governor's race — the candidates are not well-known statewide. (The statewide polls conducted thus far show the race in a statistical tie with no candidate garnering more than 12% of the vote.).

One of my opponents is state Senator Walter Dalton. I have great respect for him personally, as I do for the other Democrats running. But on certain major policy matters, we stand on opposite sides. A summary of our differences on several fundamental issues is available below. Our disagreements include the fact that:

1. I support the law banning the execution of mentally retarded defendants. Mr. Dalton was one of the few Democrats who voted against this landmark legislation. (Vote on Senate Bill 173, 4/23/2001)
2. I am pro-choice and unequivocally support Roe v. Wade. Mr. Dalton has opposed Roe's essential requirement that a woman's health be protected throughout pregnancy and he would deny, except in the narrowest of circumstances, any reproductive rights after the first trimester. (See candidate questionnaire; details here)
3. I support affirmative action to address race and sex discrimination. Mr. Dalton has not supported the position that "[s]tate government agencies should take race and sex into account" through affirmative action programs. (Candidate questionnaire; details here)
4. I strongly support our state's Clean Smokestacks law. Mr. Dalton was one of only two Democrats to vote against the vital air-quality improvement bill in 2001. (Vote on Senate Bill 1078, 4/23/2001) That year, the Conservation Council of North Carolina gave Mr. Dalton a 29% rating, which matched the lowest grade for any Democratic or Republican senator.

I believe my views reflect those held by a solid majority of voters within the Democratic Party and the state as a whole. And my experience in the public and private sectors has prepared me well to be Lt. Governor. As the Governor's Chief Legal Counsel and as a Deputy Attorney General, I promoted public safety, public health, and public integrity. In 2006, as a private sector attorney, I brought a successful lawsuit to stop North Carolina state agencies from wasting millions of dollars in taxpayer money by overpaying for office supplies.

The differences I have with my opponents are policy-oriented not personal, and I will continue to run a substantive, issue-focused campaign. For example, I have already released a detailed plan to assist seniors that Wilmington's Star-News calls "admirably specific," "sensible," and "attractive," as well as education proposals to make North Carolina a great place to learn and to teach.

Thank you for your time and interest in the Lt. Governor's race, and the candidate differences.

Sincerely,

Hampton Dellinger

For a detailed description of candidate stances on certain major policy issues, scroll down.

HAMPTON DELLINGER AND WALTER DALTON:
MAJOR DIFFERENCES ON MAJOR ISSUES

Death Penalty Reform Hampton Dellinger believes the death penalty for those with demonstrated mental retardation is wrong. In 2001, Mr. Dalton voted against the landmark legislation that banned the execution of defendants with IQs of 70 or below. (Vote on Senate Bill 173, 4/23/2001, available here) The vote was 31-18. Mr. Dalton was in the minority of all Senators, and was one of only eight Democrats to oppose the ban.

Choice (Roe v. Wade) Hampton Dellinger is pro-choice, and unequivocally supports the principles of Roe v. Wade. Mr. Dalton has taken the position that "[a]bortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy", adding that "I would not criminalize abortion during the first trimester or if rape, incest or life of the mother was involved." (Candidate questionnaire, available here) By refusing to recognize an overriding woman's health exception throughout pregnancy and by denying except in the narrowest of circumstances any reproductive rights after the first trimester, Mr. Dalton's position is more restrictive than current North Carolina law and rejects essential elements of Roe v. Wade.

North Carolina law broadly protects the right to choose through at least the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. N.C. Gen. Stat Ann 14-45.1(b) (2007). As for Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), it extends broad reproductive rights beyond the first trimester (Roe at pages 162-164) and recognizes that a woman's health must be protected throughout pregnancy. (Roe at pages 163-64) Indeed, the health exception to any statute restricting reproductive rights is a fundamental holding of Roe, one which the U.S. Supreme Court has reiterated many times.

When reproductive rights are limited to a narrow set of reasons, as Mr. Dalton has wanted, it can mean that every affected woman is required to demonstrate to a prosecutor or government committee that her decision is one of the state-approved reasons. With the constitutional protections of Roe now under assault by the anti-choice majority on the U.S. Supreme Court, reproductive rights in North Carolina will -- as Pro-Choice North Carolina has made clear -- increasingly turn on whether pro-choice candidates are elected to statewide office.

Choice (clinic access) Hampton Dellinger supports "buffer zones," which permit a health clinic to ban picketers from a small access area in order to protect patients trying to enter. Mr. Dalton has refused to "[s]upport 'buffer zones' by requiring demonstrators to stay at least 15 feet away from abortion clinic doorways and driveways." (Candidate questionnaire, available here)

Affirmative Action Because discrimination in North Carolina is a historical fact, a grim legacy, and a disturbing reality, Hampton Dellinger believes targeted affirmative measures continue to be a necessary part of ensuring fairness and diversity in our workforce, public contracting, and higher education. Mr. Dalton does not support the idea that "[s]tate government agencies should take race and sex into account" through affirmative action programs. (Candidate questionnaire, available here)

Hampton Dellinger rejects the suggestion that taking race and sex into account as part of ensuring diversity and overcoming historic discrimination is inconsistent with having highly-qualified students, contractors, and government employees. The reality is that smart, targeted affirmative action programs take race and sex into account as two of many factors when considering a pool of candidates who are already well-qualified.

Environment Hampton Dellinger supports North Carolina's Clean Smokestacks Act. In 2001, Mr. Dalton was one of only two Democrats to vote against the Clean Smokestacks Act, which passed 43-5. (Vote on Senate Bill 1078, 4/23/2001) In 2001, the Conservation Council of North Carolina (CCNC) gave Mr. Dalton a 29% rating, which matched the lowest grade for any senator, Democratic or Republican. Mr. Dalton's CCNC rating was below the Democratic average in 2001-02, 2003-04, and 2005-06.

Hampton Dellinger believes the Utilities Commission's decision to deny a permit for multiple coal-based plants was correct. Mr. Dalton has been a leading supporter of the plan to build two new coal-fired generating units in North Carolina, publicly testifying in favor of such a plan in August 2006. (Associated Press, 8/31/2006)

Tax Breaks Hampton Dellinger opposes a major new tax break for homebuilders. Mr. Dalton has led the windfall effort which would exempt from property tax the increase in value of property held for sale by builders. Raleigh's News & Observer described Mr. Dalton's plan this way: "State Sen. Walter Dalton's proposal to give home builders a nice chunk of taxpayers' money is one of those classic exercises in Jones Street water-carrying. Dalton... ought to be embarrassed." ("A Costly 'Break,'" 7/26/2005)