2 square off in race for senate

Hefner, Cates vie for democratic nomination



April 27, 2008



By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer


The Democratic primary race for the 44th Senate District has a political newcomer who has spent three years preparing for a bid and a former commissioner who says his people skills make him the best pick.


Former Marine officer and truck driver Danny Hefner of Lenoir and retired schoolteacher and former Burke County commissioner Jim Cates of Morganton are vying for the Democratic nomination for the open Senate seat, which represents Burke and Caldwell counties.


The winner will face Republican Jim Jacumin of Rutherford College. Jacumin, a 71-year-old retired engineer, is seeking his third term.


Hefner, 42, spent 13 years in the Marines and served four tours of duty in the Middle East and South Korea. He has been driving a truck across the country in the years since he was discharged from the military in 1996, and for the past three years has been talking to people as he's traveled across the state about what they want to see in their state politicians.


"This is not a whim for me," he said.


Hefner said he would like to focus on bringing more jobs and a better economy to a region hit hard by the recent exodus of furniture jobs, finding ways to provide affordable health care and better benefits for teachers.


Cates, 70, said he recently decided to venture back into politics after a 23-year hiatus from public office. Cates, who taught at Western Piedmont Community College and in Burke and Caldwell schools, served as a Burke County commissioner for seven years before stepping down in 1985.


"A couple months ago I mentioned to someone that I wondered if I could beat Jimmy Jacumin," he said. "I figured with my years on the board of commissioners and my education, I could stack up to him."


Though Cates said bringing new industry, finding ways to conserve energy, education and health care are big issues, he's focusing more on listening to voters' concerns rather than pinpointing specific issues.


"I'm still in the formulation stages of things," he said. "But when I'm informed of issues in the area, I will go to the gizzards chasing the pros and cons and taking it as far as it can go."


The men, who face off in the May 5 primary, say they would be a good fit for the state Senate because they understand the people in the district and say constituents would benefit from new representation.


Hefner's plans would include proposing legislation to implement a toll for cars traveling in and out of the state and to use that income to subsidize health care. He's also looking into ways to pay teachers more, including proposing that each resident pay an additional 52 cents a year to fund salary increases.


"We need to pay our teachers what they are worth," he said. "Would it be worth one penny a week to have your child schooled better? It's worth it to me."


Cates said he's "making a big deal out of the fact that I'm not pushing any one issue" and that he plans to focus on all the concerns district residents bring to him. He acknowledges that creating good educational opportunities and recruiting new industry are paramount, he said, but wants people to know that he'll work hard to find solutions for their problems.


"I'm trying to be a totally open-minded person," he said. "I'm a bottom-up kind of guy. You tell me what's going on and we'll take it from there."


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