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Excerpted from Jim McNally in the Statesville
Record & Landmark, 8 Sept. 2008
At his massive farm and workshop in Yadkin
County, NASCAR legend Junior Johnson
hosted a campaign shindig last week for Roy Carter, a retired teacher and
football coach who is trying to buck the odds and beat two-term incumbent Rep.
Virginia Foxx in North Carolina's
5th Congressional District.
Carter's campaign manager, Ryan Eller, introduced Johnson as "one of
the most famous — if not the most famous — person in the 5th District."
Can an endorsement from Junior Johnson help Carter?
"Generally, it doesn't make much difference in a large national
election," said Ted Arrington, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina
at Charlotte.
"But in a close race, it can have an impact in a smaller race."
Arrington said that if you plug a guy like Junior Johnson into a race like
the one in the 5th District, it could swing some voters.
Meanwhile, back at Junior Johnson's farm, the racing legend was telling the
300 or so people who had come out for barbeque and fixings to vote for Carter.
"It's crowded in here," he said from a makeshift stage in his
workshop. "But we're going to need an even bigger crowd if we're going to
knock off Virginia Foxx and Roy's
the best person to do it. The 5th District is our home and we need to get it
back."
Sandra Smith, a Stokes
County school nurse, said
Johnson's praise of Carter provided a boost to the Democrat's campaign.
"I was going to vote for Roy
anyway," she said. "But I think something like this gives him added
publicity and I think it helps him."
Evelyn Funderburk, an Iredell County Democrat, agrees.
"Name recognition is very important," she said. "And
celebrities can bring their status and help candidates."
The candidate called Johnson "a valued addition" to Team Carter.
And then he returned the endorsement favor.
"I think it's very important to have Junior Johnson on my side,"
Carter said. "Junior Johnson is much more than a racing legend. He is a
caring and giving man who is always doing something for someone."
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