In the last seven months Governor Perdue has issued more vetoes than any other governor in North Carolina, more than any of her predecessors combined. Governor Perdue used this right to become a firewall between the people of North Carolina and dangerous laws enacted by the Republican majority in the General Assembly. Take time to thank Governor Perdue for her courage and tenacity in protecting the people of North Carolina.

Use this link to Thank Governor Perdue.

Today, the Republican-controlled N.C. House of Representatives voted to override the Governor's veto of the "Women's Right to Know" piece of legislation. They disagreed with the Governor that the bill was government intrusion between a woman and her doctor on matters relating to her health. Republicans routinely tout how they are against "big government" but in supporting this legislation they have demonstrated that being against "big government" deserves an asterisk.

Fortunately the Republicans were not able to override the Governor's veto of the Voter ID legislation. The legislation would have created an unneeded hardship on youth, senior citizens, and working class people in order to vote. If this legislation was truly about wanting to prevent voter fraud then they would have gotten serious about the ease of obtaining an absentee ballot. This bill was about limiting Democratic constituencies from being able to vote and amounts to a solution in search of a problem.

On July 25, 2011, President Obama addressed our nation on the national debt and what we must do to prevent adverse reprecussions to our fragile economy.

The Republicans in the General Assembly have released their redistricting plans. Their plans have a profound impact on Orange County.

House Districts 54 and 56 have been combined to form a new District 56 completely within Orange County. This district double bunks Representatives Hackney (District 54) and Insko (District 56). District 50 will now include Northern Orange and Durham Counties (previously District 50 included Northern Orange and Caswell Counties).

For the most part precincts remain in their current districts. In short, six precincts were moved out of District 50 and into District 56: Cameron Park, Coles Store, Grady Brown, Hillsborough, Hogan Farms, and West Hillsborough. Five were moved from District 56 and into District 50: Booker Creek, Cedar Falls, Eastside, Patterson, and Weaver Dairy.

Our Senate district will also change. Senator Kinnaird's district will now be Orange and Chatham Counties. However, this double bunks her with Senator Bob Atwater of Chatham County.

Republicans are sure to pass these plans, however all redistricting plans still need the approval of the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. and legal challenges are sure to be lodged.