North Carolina’s Democratic primary for a congressional seat representing Durham, Chapel Hill and surrounding areas has gained national attention for the millions in super PAC money backing candidate Valerie Foushee.
Now one of other frontrunners is criticizing his fellow Democrat over the flood of outside money.
Clay Aiken, a special education teacher before he became a celebrity known nationally for “American Idol” and “Celebrity Apprentice,” held a news conference to highlight what he called “dark money” being spent in support of Foushee in a race to replace retiring Rep. David Price, who Aiken credited with being the No. 1 proponent of getting money out of politics. Aiken called it “infuriating and upsetting.”
Price is not endorsing any candidate in the primary.
Aiken said that too many Democrats are not “practicing what we preach” about super PAC money. Aiken said that he previously had deep respect for Foushee, and that “it is disappointing to have lost respect for someone.”
“It’s painful to learn things about people that you cared about, care about,” Aiken told reporters. He also criticized her lack of attendance at candidate forums, saying he only saw her at one of them.
Foushee, a longtime elected official and a state senator, has benefited from $2.4 million spent independently by super PACs funded by pro-Israel group AIPAC and a crypto-currency billionaire, The N&O previously reported. The pro-Foushee television, digital and mail advertising has come from United Democracy Project and Protect Our Future.
Foushee’s campaign responded to the PAC and forum criticism with a statement to The News & Observer, saying she has “served residents in this district for years and knows it better than any candidate in this race. She has been meeting with voters across the district since the start of the campaign, and she will continue to do in various settings so that she can bring their concerns with her to Washington and get to work taking on the big challenges we face.”
“Senator Foushee is one of dozens of progressive candidates and elected officials — including members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Democratic Party leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — who has received support from AIPAC because of her unequivocal support for a two-state solution in the Middle East and her belief that Israel is a critically important strategic ally — and the only democracy — in the region,” Foushee campaign spokesperson Anna Nunn said.
Aiken said that if he wins, he plans to bring attention to issues around money in elections and will sponsor legislation named for Price about it. He said special-interest money “drowns out” the voices of candidates.
Fellow candidate Ashley Ward of Orange County joined Aiken at his news conference Wednesday morning at the Durham County Main Library. Aiken and Ward are among eight Democrats running for the seat in the deep blue 4th Congressional District. Aiken said he asked Ward to join him because he knows how hard it is to start campaigning without a lot of money, citing that she took out a $10,000 home equity loan to help pay for her campaign. Aiken previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress in a different district, against Republican Renee Ellmers.
Ward, who works at Duke University, talked about her experience working on climate change. She said she’s running because “I am a daughter of this district, I am loyal to this district” and said as a scientist she has a “voice and vision” to represent the district. Ward grew up in Durham before moving to Person County and then Orange County.
Endorsement rescinded
State Rep. Marcia Morey, a Durham Democrat, withdrew her endorsement of Foushee on Wednesday afternoon. Morey instead endorsed candidate Nida Allam, a Durham County commissioner and the first Muslim woman elected to office in North Carolina.
“When I made an early endorsement of my colleague, Senator Foushee, I believed her promise to fight for campaign finance reform. I thought she would disavow undue outside influence of bundled PAC money. I am very disappointed she did not,” Morey said in a release from Allam’s campaign.
Foushee and Allam both have several endorsements from elected officials at the local, state and federal levels.
For more North Carolina government and politics news, listen to the Under the Dome politics podcast from The News & Observer and the NC Insider. You can find it at https://campsite.bio/underthedome or wherever you get your podcasts.
This story was originally published May 11, 2022 1:04 PM.
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