Billy Kennedy in the news
Unemployment Benefits Finally Approved
Friday, July 23, 2010
Published at Downwithtyranny.blogspot.com
Yesterday the House voted one last time -- so that their bill and the one the Senate finally passed this week would be identical and Obama could sign it, retroactively sending missed insurance compensation checks to over 2.6 million Americans thrown out of work by the very policies put forward by the conservatives who voted against unemployment insurance! ...
Interestingly, every single Republican the Blue America candidates are running against voted in opposition to the extension: Michele Bachmann, John Boehner, Calvert, Campbell, and, of course, North Carolina crackpot Virginia Foxx. Ah... yes, crackpot Virginia Foxx... I called Billy Kennedy what the folks in western North Carolina think about Foxx's anti-family antics.
He told me that around 9,300 of her constituents "have lost their jobs due to outsourcing to cheaper labor in China."
"Her reasoning is that the government cannot possibly be expected to help those who are desperate to find jobs because it will add to the deficit.
But Virginia Foxx, the richest House member from North Carolina, doesn't worry about her personal tax cuts breaking the bank. She supports huge tax breaks that are extended to the richest Americans, even if the government has to borrow money to pay for it.
The unemployment benefits extension cost $34 billion. Virginia Foxx opposes it. The tax breaks for the wealthiest 5 percent of Americans cost more than one trillion dollars, all of which is borrowed money. Virginia Foxx supports them.
The big tax break windfall Virginia Foxx supports didn't go to most Americans. It didn't go to Americans who work hard days and long hours. It went to the bankers, big oil executives, crooked Wall Street traders, and... Virginia Foxx.
The way I see it, we just can't afford Virginia Foxx's tax break. And we can't afford Rep. Foxx any more either.
Too few jobs have been created in the past 10 years, and good people looking for jobs can't find them. But why should Virginia Foxx care? She's got hers. And you're paying for it.
I'm calling Virginia Foxx out on this hypocrisy. It's clear that she's out of touch, and it's time she took a peek outside those thick walls of Washington and came home to struggle to make ends meet like the rest of us."
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Source: Watauga Democrat
Candidate comes to Green Drinks
Watauga Democrat
Published: July 14, 2010
BOONE -- Congressional candidate Billy Kennedy was on hand at Green Drinks Tuesday evening, emphasizing his campaign's green stance. Kennedy, who is running against longtime incumbent Virginia Foxx, says, if elected, he'll help put legislation in place to make green home upgrades more accessible. Green Drinks, social networking for Boone's environmentally savvy, happens the second Tuesday of each month. This month's meeting was at Peppers Restaurant, sponsored by Building Performance Engineering. For more, check out our photo album!
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Club For Growth — Making Trouble In Michigan, North Carolina ... And Across America
DownwithTyranny.blogspot.com
Published: July 6, 2010
Last week, under pressure from the Club for Growth and the Heritage Foundation, Republican members of Congress began signing on to a "discharge petition" which would force immediate action on legislation to completely repeal the recently passed health insurance reform law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010).
The Club for Growth's government affairs director Andy Roth emailed Republican members with an implied threat that support for repeal "will be considered as a key vote on the Club's annual congressional scorecard," one of the "gold standards" in conservative rankings. Representative Virginia Foxx promptly signed the discharge petition last Tuesday.
Congressional candidate Billy Kennedy issued the following statement:
"Once again, our incumbent Congresswoman shows that she is much more interested in satisfying extremist and powerful special interests than she is in helping the hard working people of Western North Carolina. More...
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Virginia Foxx And Billy Kennedy Have Exactly Opposite Views On Corporate Dominance Of Election Finance
DownWithTyranny.blogspot.com
Published: June 26, 2010
"The case of Citizens United v FEC was heard by the Supreme Court back in January. When all was said and done, the Court ended up changing the law so that corporations can now spend as much as they like on political campaigns without even identifying themselves. That’s right-- average working people get the short end of the stick. Again.
So the US House has now just passed the “Disclose Act,” a law which will at least require that these corporations tell us who they are when they put their fancy, high-dollar commercials on TV that attack anyone who would dare come up against them. The “Disclose Act” could most certainly be better than it is. If we didn’t have so many politicians in Washington beholden to corporate interests, we’d surely have gotten a better bill in the end, but the bill is at least a start. more ...
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A Day of Oily Apologies
DownWithTyranny.blogspot.com
Published: June 17, 2010
Environmentally-conscious and energy-conscious Democrats had already been talking to the voters about how their approach drastically differs from the Republican approach. On Wednesday Billy Kennedy, the Blue America-endorsed candidate challenging reactionary corporate shill Virginia Foxx in western North Carolina came out swinging with a claim that Foxx shares the blame for the B.P. disaster. He hit all the relevant points that Americans should be assessing around this national catastrophe: more...
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Billy Kennedy, the Gentleman Farmer
YES! Weekly
By: Keith Barber
Published: May 19, 2010
If you close your eyes, Billy Kennedy could easily be confused with Jefferson Smith, the character played by Jimmy Stewart in Frank Capra’s 1939 classic film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
In the movie, the nave and idealistic Smith is appointed to the US Senate by a governor that kowtows to the state’s top political boss. Smith runs into political corruption when he tries to advance a bill to create a national boys camp, and becomes discouraged. One of the most famous scenes in the film portrays Smith’s marathon filibuster on the Senate floor. Jimmy Stewart’s performance is the stuff of Hollywood legend, but his profound words are what stay with us forever.
Kennedy, the Democratic candidate for the US House District 5 seat, spoke with the same kind of idealism and conviction as Jefferson Smith during his address to the 5th Congressional District Democratic Party Annual Convention in Statesville on May 15. Kennedy talked about his personal philosophy and ethos, one that he learned from his parents — an ethos based on the Golden Rule. He spoke of his love of farming, building houses and crafting furniture. He said his daily life connects him to the land, which has led him to become an environmentalist. Kennedy talked about his desire to leave his farm to his children someday, and to leave it better than he found it. more...
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Kennedy bring his down-home message to the Democratic Party activists
YES! Weekly
By: Keith Barber
Published: May 19, 2010
As Billy Kennedy hit the 15-minute mark of his speech during the 5th Congressional District Democratic Party Annual Convention at Mitchell Community College in Statesville on May 15, he began to wrap it up by making his plea to the party delegates in attendance.
“I’m reaching out to y’all,” said Kennedy, the Democratic nominee for the US House seat currently held by Republican Virginia Foxx. “Fifty-five percent of the voters in the district are women. I’m challenging all you women to bring these men back to their senses.”
Kennedy’s remark was received by a smattering of laughter from the roughly 75 people in the audience, but the candidate didn’t take a breath. He forged ahead.
“This is not something I’m doing for me — that’s what I remembered early on,” he continued. “I’m doing this for y’all because you’re the people of the 5th District. That’s who representatives are supposed to serve — the people, not themselves.” more ...
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Billy Kennedy Here: Campaign Update & LIVE BLOG
www.dailyKos.com
Live Blog Chat: May 11, 2010
Hello, Kossacks! We've met before. I'm Billy Kennedy, running against incumbent Rep. Virginia Foxx in North Carolina's 5th congressional district.
I much enjoyed our last back and forth and, as promised, am here to keep you updated on our campaign and to answer your questions for the next hour or so. We've got some exciting news to share about our campaign!
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Kennedy 'excited' for race with Foxx
Statesville Record & Landmark
By: Jim McNally
Published: May 7, 2010
He has perhaps the most famous surname in American politics in the last half-century.
But Billy Kennedy knows his main task, somewhat ironically, is going to be overcoming the name recognition of his rival in November's general election.
Kennedy, a kind of jack-of-all-trades from Watauga County, was the lone Democrat to enter the race for North Carolina's 5th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
When incumbent Virginia Foxx beat Keith Gardner, of Hickory, in Tuesday's Republican Primary, the final slate of candidates for the seat's race was clarified.
And while most would see Foxx's 80 percent to 20 percent victory over Gardner as rout, Kennedy -- demonstrating an overflowing sense of glass-is-half-full optimism -- said the results reveal a kink in Foxx's armor.
"It shows me that one out of five people from her own party are unhappy with the job she's doing in Washington," Kennedy said.
And Kennedy hopes to exploit a grander and growing discontent citizens have adopted for virtually all elected officials.
"I think she is out of touch," Kennedy said. "People are going against incumbents and she is an incumbent. And not only that, she's a career politician. I know she's only been in the House for five years, but she also served in the state Senate before that." more ...
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Local Party Focusing on Removing Foxx, Redistricting
The Watauga Democratic Party hopes local farmer Billy Kennedy(pictured above at Celebrity Serve 2010 in Boone, with his wife, Rebecca Saunders) can unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-5) in the November election. (Photo by Jason Reagan/Watauga Democrat, April 30, 2010)
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Democratic hopefuls speak at Iredell convention
Statesville Record & Landmark
By: Jim McNally
Publishedt: April 11, 2010
Billy Kennedy, the Democratic nominee for the 5th U.S. Congressional District seat, said he sees the backlash against Democrats now as part of a cycle.
"The Democrats make all the positive steps," he said. "Then we let the Republicans back in and they take us back some of those steps. Then we have to get in and clean their messes back up again."
Without mentioning the name of the person he will most likely be running against in November — incumbent Rep. Virginia Foxx — Kennedy said, "My opponent is not only an embarrassment to North Carolina, but to the whole nation."
For comments like that, Kennedy received the only standing ovation of the day. more...
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I'm Billy Kennedy, running for US Congress against Virginia Foxx
LIVE BLOG
www.dailyKos.com
Live Blog Chat: March 29, 2010
My name is Billy Kennedy, and I am running against incumbent Republican Virginia Foxx for US Congress, North Carolina, District 5. I am here today to answer your questions and to hear your ideas and concerns. I can stay for around 45 minutes, and will come back later to answer questions I can't get to within that time frame.
Read the full transcript here.
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Democrats trumpet efforts during annual Carter-Kennedy celebration
Statesville Record & Landmark
By: Jim McNally
Published: March 27, 2010
This year, Watauga County cabinetmaker and radio personality Billy Kennedy is taking on [Virginia] Foxx.
Kennedy followed up with what Hamby said about the party's advances in social matters.
"All the progress we've made in this country is because Democrats have always looked ahead and not backwards," Kennedy said.
He said the recently-passed health care legislation was an example of that progress.
"Getting that bill through has gone a long way toward making health care in this country a right and not a privilege," Kennedy said. more...
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New law sparks spirited reaction from candidates
Statesville Record & Landmark
By: Jim McNally
Published: March 24, 2010
Foxx's Democratic opponent Billy Kennedy said Foxx should leave well enough alone.
"I'm disappointed Rep. Foxx has announced she will back attempts to repeal the new health care reform bill, but this is nothing new," Kennedy said in an e-mail. "Every major piece of legislation that's ever been passed in America (including Medicare and Social Security) has brought on lawsuits by those whose special interests are on the line."
Kennedy pondered what would happen if Foxx and the other of the new law's opponents are succesful in beating it back. more ...
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It could be the Republicans and not the Democrats who lose big time because of their health care stance
www.EmmaBerry.org
Published: March 20, 2010
The tables could turn against Republicans who don’t support health care reform. Ironic, since the Republicans have been yammering about how health care will cost the Democrats.
For certain it will be the Republicans from poor areas who don’t endorse the health care bill who will suffer the most.
Yep that’s how it’s shaping up. Many of the Republicans who long touted that the Democrats will lose the House and the Senate if they vote for health care reform look like they could lose out in November if they vote against the health care bill.
Virginia Foxx, a Republican Congresswoman from the 5th Congressional District of North Carolina might be among the Republican casualties in November.
12,000 people with preexisting conditions could get insurance; 119,000 Medicare beneficiaries would have the doughnut hole closed in their prescription coverage; 800 families would be kept from going bankrupt from medical costs; and more than 14,000 small businesses would be subsidized to provide health insurance to their employees. more...
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Republicans voting 'no' on health care reform at their own peril
Huffingtonpost.com
Published: Friday, March 19, 2010
Republican challengers may see a Democratic vote for health care reform as a genuine opportunity to unseat an incumbent, but Republicans could find themselves voting no at their own peril.
While much has been made of the downside of supporting the bill, little has been said about the risks of opposing the most sweeping health care reform in decades -- after all, there are millions of voters who are either uninsured, have preexisting conditions or otherwise will benefit from provisions in the bill.
Billy Kennedy, the Democrat opposing Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), is one of the first to take advantage of a GOP no vote on health care.
"Virginia Foxx is betraying her constituents as she prepares to vote 'no' on the health care reform bill," Kennedy said in a statement. "It will be devastating for Northwestern North Carolina's working families if reform is not passed." more...
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The Law of the Jungle Prevails Outside the Beltway — But Not Where Virginia Fox Gets Her Healthcare Needs Met
DownWithTyranny.blogspot.com
Published: March 16, 2010
I expect that if the DCCC gets behind Billy and he beats Virginia Foxx and goes to Congress, by next year people will be asking me if candidates I recommend are anything like Billy Kennedy. What he has in common with [Alan] Grayson goes beyond a heartfelt sense of duty to serve their communities and do the right thing for the kinds of people who don't rent lobbyists — something they do both share — to an authenticity that money can't buy. Most candidates and most members of Congress don't have it, not even a tiny bit of it. Every word that comes out of Billy's mouth is enveloped in it. It's why, despite the overwhelming Republican registration advantage in NC-05, Virginia Foxx is running scared.
Yesterday she had a town hall meeting in Statesville to disparage her two current bêtes noires, healthcare reform and public education. One of the nearly 200 constituents who turned up was Billy, and he did a guest post for DWT on his experience there. more...
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Billy Kennedy Crashes Virginia Foxx's HCR Town Hall
www.DailyKos.com
Published: March 16, 2010
Billy Kennedy (Democratic candidate for US Congress, NC-5) has the spunk, the spirit, and the courage of his convictions.
On Monday, he walked into Virginia Foxx's Health Care Town Hall forum in Statesville to join other battered constituents in asking Virginia just what the hell it is she really does up there in Washington. Several of us from Watauga County tagged along to grab front row seats.
Check out the crowd, some really pissed off people (on both sides), Foxx's insistence that government interference is ruining America's health care system, and Billy's response in this local TV station report of what went down. It's really worth a watch (can't embed — and there's a short commercial at the top). more...
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HCR Town Hall meeting in NC 5th District
www.DemocraticUnderground.com
Published: March 16, 2010
Candidate Billy Kennedy responded to Virginia Foxx’s town hall event on March 15, 2010, in Statesville:
After Rep. Foxx's health care town hall today, I searched the Constitution to see where it says we taxpayers are supposed to be subsidizing her personal health care insurance. I couldn't find it.
You see, Rep. Foxx says unless something is expressly written in the Constitution, then we the people have no right to want or expect it.
In fact, that was the exact question I had for her today (had I been called on). I wanted to know, since she's been a politician for the last 27 years, when was the last time the taxpayers weren't paying for her insurance?
It's fine for Ms. Foxx to stand up there today and tell folks that the people need to handle their own health care costs, that the government can't do anything right (so why even try?) and that our current system is the best in the world, when she lets the government handle her health needs and expects us to hand over our hard-earned dollars not just for our health needs, but for hers too. more...
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Billy Kennedy attends Rep. Foxx's health care town hall
News 14 Charlotte
Published: March 15, 2010
STATESVILLE — Rep. Virginia Foxx fielded questions about the controversial health care bill for an hour and a half Monday.
While President Barack Obama is making a strong push this week to pass the bill, Foxx is doing her best to make sure it fails.
"It doesn't solve any of the problems that the American people say they want solved, which is to lower cost and make insurance and health care more accessible," Foxx, a Republican, said.
People packed into the Statesville Civic Center to hear Foxx's argument. Some voiced similar concerns.
Foxx's Democratic opponent, Billy Kennedy, attended the event and said the bill needs to be passed.
"The people I've been meeting with want a change and they want to know they're not going to lose everything that they've worked for all their life because they got sick," Kennedy said. more...
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Congressional Outrage Du Jour — Anyone Remember Virginia Foxx?
DownWithTyranny.blogspot.com
Published: March 5, 2010
My own congresswoman, Diane Watson, introduced a simple resolution yesterday (which had over 50 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle), H.Res.362. It expresses the House's support for the goals and ideals of the National School Lunch Program and "recognizes that our pupils deserve access to high-quality, safe, and nutritious meals in school." It passed 403-13, every Democrat and 155 Republicans, including the entire GOP congressional leadership voting in favor.
So who could possibly be against this? Let me give you a hint. Every single member of the North Carolina congressional delegation, Democrats and Republicans voted in favor, except one. Yes, of course, Virginia Foxx...
As you may know, Blue America has endorsed her opponent, plainspoken farmer and carpenter Billy Kennedy from Watauga County. This morning we asked him how he left about Foxx's bizarre vote.
What a sad day for North Carolina’s 5th Congressional district. Rep. Foxx was one of just 13 House members to vote against H RES 362, a bill “Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of the National School Lunch Program.”
If you can’t say “yes” to the “goals” of America’s national school lunch program, then what the heck can you say “yes” to? America’s national lunch program provides a mid day meal to over 30 million school kids every day and snacks for children in after-school programs. The School Lunch Program operates in public schools, non-profit private schools, and some child care facilities. Its goal is to provide “nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches.”
1-in-7 children in North Carolina lives in a household that is forced to reduce food intake, alter normal eating patterns, or go hungry because they lack the money or resources to obtain adequate food. More than 800,000 NC school children take part in the National School Lunch Program each day. In 2007, even before the current recession hit, 7 out of 10 children in Alleghany County participated in the school lunch program. Almost that many children got free or reduced lunches in Surry, Wilkes and Ashe counties, and more than half the children in Yadkin and Forsyth counties participated.
What was Rep. Foxx thinking? Maybe she was still mulling over the words of Rush Limbaugh who said just this February about our national school lunch program: "It never occurs to the parents to go to the grocery store?" I doubt Rush Limbaugh has ever gone hungry, and it looks like Rep. Foxx isn’t having any trouble finding her next meal either. In fact, maybe she should get out of the Washington House members’ Longworth cafeteria a little more often, where on Tuesdays she can dine on Wild Mushroom, Cheese Stuffed Ravioli at a discount and where the coffee comes from Pura Vida. At least that’s what the “United States House of Representatives Dining Service Website” says. more...
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Billy Kennedy's race against Virginia Foxx picks up steam
Creative Loafing Charlotte
By: John Grooms
Published: March 1, 2010
It looks like Billy Kennedy, the Democratic candidate for the US House seat currently occupied by Virginia Foxx of “Health care reform = terrorism” fame, is the real thing. Since he announced his candidacy, Kennedy has put together a solid organization and his campaign coffers have swollen. Now he has been formally endorsed by Blue America PAC, which has really started bringing in more campaign funds. more...
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Dynasty Politics in America
DownWithTyranny.blogspot.com
Published: March 1, 2010
Meanwhile, if Democrats are serious about a Kennedy based on merit, Blue America endorsed Billy Kennedy from North Carolina this past weekend. This one may not have the cache but he's one of us, not one of them and I haven't spoken to a better qualified Kennedy for elective office in my life. more...
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It's on: Election filing closed; heated battles are open
The Watauga Democrat
By: Jason Reagan, editor
Published: March 1, 2010
The closing of the candidacy deadline for 2010 elections opened up a few surprises on Friday.
The Democrats' attempt to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx from her three-term congressional seat got a little easier after the deadline passed without a primary opponent emerging to face Watauga County farmer Billy Kennedy. more...
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New activists run in NC congressional race deluge
The (Raleigh) News & Observer
By: Gary D. Robertson, Associated Press Writer
Published: February 28, 2010
Democrats also have new blood in people like Billy Kennedy of Watauga County, a party activist but first-time candidate who wants to defeat 5th District GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx. He said government is getting demonized where it's the one place where citizens can effect change. more...
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Live Chat: Blue America Welcomes Billy Kennedy
crooksandliars.com
Hosted by: Howie Klein
Live Blog Chat: February 27, 2010
Howie Klein: When I first heard North Carolina farmer/carpenter Billy Kennedy — an actual progressive, non-Blue Dog, real-life Democrat — was going to run against lunatic fringe hatemonger Virginia Foxx, I was very excited and I realized that Americans from all over the country would be interested in this race.
Read the full chat transcript here...
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Supporters Gather for Tarleton, Meet Kennedy
Ashe Mountain Times
By: Ron Fitzwater| Ashe Mountain Times Editor
Published: February 24, 2010
Friends and supporters gathered together on Friday, February 19th to kick off the Ashe County leg of the campaign trail for State Representative Cullie Tarleton as he makes a run for another term in the North Carolina House.
"It is very gratifying to have people who will come out and write a check to support our candidacy because, unfortunately, it takes money to run a campaign and you have to spend a certain amount of time raising it," Tarleton said.
"You know, I spend a lot of time here in Ashe County and try to make myself very accessible. The people here tonight, though, are my hard-core supporters. These are the people that I can absolutely count on to be there for me, to bounce ideas off of and I hear from them as well." more ... ..................................................................................................................................................
Greater Determination
Winston-Salem Journal, Letters to the Editor
By: Anne G. Wilson, Winston-Salem
Published: February 24, 2010
Upon first reading Scott Sexton's Feb. 11 column ("Democrat wins in the 5th?"), I was discouraged because I knew many progressive voters in the 5th District would feel demoralized. However, my discouragement soon turned to even greater determination. I hope others had the same reaction, because the voters must work against all odds to unseat Rep. Virginia Foxx.
While her loyal followers think she represents them well, I do not understand how. Other than giving a voice to their fears and discontent, I do not know what she has done that has improved the lives of her constituents. more ...
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Watauga Farmer Files to Run Against Foxx
Winston-Salem Journal
By: Laura Graff | Journal Reporter
Published: February 9, 2010
Democrat Billy Kennedy, a farmer from Watauga County, filed yesterday to challenge Republican Virginia Foxx, a three-term incumbent, for the 5th Congressional District seat.
Foxx also filed yesterday.
Kennedy, who also is a radio announcer and a carpenter, stopped during lunchtime at the Forsyth County Democratic Party's headquarters in Winston-Salem, where he told about 60 supporters that he believes Washington legislators support corporate interests over the people they are elected to represent. more...
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Virginia Foxx to Have First Serious Challenger
Creative Loafing
By: John Grooms in Boomer with an Attitude
Published: February 2, 2010
It looks like the infamous Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-Nutjobbia) will have real competition, for a change, in November. Democrat Billy Kennedy, who describes himself as being from “the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party,” announced that he will file next week to run for the congressional seat currently held by Foxx, who has become famous for her gaffes and over-the-top statements, such as her comments that health care reform is “more dangerous than any terrorist” and would result in Americans “being put to death by their government.”
Kennedy’s platform espouses reform measures for health care, banking, and farm policy, and a focus on bread and butter issues that could help his unemployment-stricken district. Foxx has yet to face a strong challenger, and Kennedy, from all indications, will give her a run for her money, while emphasizing his “regular guy” image. Let’s face it, nearly anyone would be better than Foxx, but Kennedy seems to be a particularly serious candidate, so here’s wishing him good luck. more...
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Congressional Hopeful, Billie Kennedy, Begins Campaigning
Mountain Television Network (MTN)
By: Christina Cindrich
Published: February 9, 2010
Congressional hopeful, Billy Kennedy began officially campaigning Monday with several rallies throughout North Carolina's 5th Congressional District en route to filing at the NC Board of Elections in Raleigh. Around 50 supporters gathered at the Watauga County Courthouse Monday morning to send Kennedy off on his campaign trail.
Other notable Democrats were in attendance including NC Representative Cullie Tarleton, Boone Mayor Loretta Clawson, Boone Town Council member Jamie Leigh, and Watauga County School Board member Marsha Walpole. Kennedy's caravan left Boone around 9:30 a.m. with plans to stop at the Wilkes Heritage Museum, the Forsyth County Democratic Party Headquarters, and the State Board of Elections in Raleigh. more...
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Billy Kennedy Takes On Virginia Foxx
Bethel Resident Enters Race for North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District Seat
High Country Press
Story by: Justin Grimes
Published: 2/4/2010
Party activists and elected officials across North Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District began coalescing and rallying around a draft Billy Kennedy initiative some months ago and on Monday, February 8, Kennedy will officially launch his first political campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Edward R. Murrow, America’s great broadcast journalist, believed that rarely, if ever, are there two equal sides to a story. That said, what follows is an attempt to share with readers why Kennedy is running for congress in his own words from a seat in his home in Bethel. more...
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Kennedy Announces Congressional Run
The Mountain Times
Published: 12:46 PM, 02/03/2010
Last updated: 12:50 PM, 02/03/2010
Billy Kennedy, a Watauga County talk radio host and community leader, will formally announce his candidacy on February 8 for the U.S. House of Representatives, 5th District of North Carolina. The "Billy Kennedy Caravan" will stretch from Boone to Raleigh that day, with stops in Wilkesboro and Winston-Salem. more...
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Wednesday Potpourri
By Gordon Smith
Wednesdat 2/3/2010
There’s exciting doings all over the place, and this Councilman/Counselor can’t find time to properly blog about it all. Who wants to pay me to do this stuff full time? The irascible ThunderPig reports that Dan Eichenbaum (R-Tetley), founder of the area’s 9/12 group, won another straw poll of Republicans, this time in Cherokee County. Dr. Dan hopes to face Heath Shuler this November. more...
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Billy Kennedy to Run for U.S. Congress
Written by Adam Hicks
Tuesday, February 02 2010
Longtime host of AM 1450 WATA’s Watauga Talks program, Billy Kennedy, announced today that he will run against incumbent Congresswoman Virginia Foxx to represent North Carolina’s 5th District in the United States House of Representatives.
Kennedy will arrive at the Watauga County Board of Elections for certification to file for the office at 9:00 Monday morning before hitting the campaign trail. His convoy will stop at the Wilkes County heritage Museum, the Forsyth County Democratic Party headquarters in Winston-Salem, and will eventually arrive at the NC State Board of Elections in Raleigh Monday afternoon where Kennedy will officially file to run for Congress. more...
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Kennedy Takes On Foxx
Stokes Democrat
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Billy Kennedy for Congress Campaign will officially launch on the first day of filing, Monday, February 8, 2010, with a Kennedy Caravan to Raleigh, where Billy will file to run for the U.S. Congress in the 5th Congressional District against incumbent Republican Virginia A. Foxx.
The Kennedy Caravan will leave Boone for Raleigh and will make two stops in the 5th District for rallies and speeches by the candidate: the Wilkes County Heritage Museum (the old Wilkes Courthouse) on Main Street in Wilkesboro and the Forsyth County Democratic Party headquarters on Burke Street in Winston-Salem at 12:30 pm. more...
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Excitement in North Carolina
Noah's brother and sister-in-law live in northwest North Carolina's Piedmont area, the 5th CD, which manages to skirt cities and encompass the suburbs of Winston-Salem and the outer suburbs of Charlotte. The congressional district, which is overwhelmingly Republican (PVI is R +15 and McCain, while losing the state, won the 5th with a hefty 61 percent of the vote) and overwhelmingly white. It includes Mt. Airy, the model for Andy Griffith's Mayberry. When far right fanatic Richard Burr gave up his House seat to run for John Edwards' abandoned Senate seat, Virginia Foxx-- a kooky state Senator best known as the nut job who sponsored a constitutional amendment targeting gays and legislation to hurt women's Choice, Hispanic immigrants and public education-- stumbled into a close run-off victory with a fringe maniac billing himself as "the black Jesse Helms." In Congress Foxx has been one of the 3 or 4 most outspokenly anti-gay members and the ideological heir to Jesse Helms' backward bigotry across the board. She hasn't had a credible challenger since she was elected. Until now. More...
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Swing State Project Daily Digest: 12/21
by: James L.
Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 7:54 AM ES
• NC-05: Local radio host Billy Kennedy, a former member of the NC Democratic Party executive committee, is "seriously considering" challenging Teabagger Queen Virginia Foxx after being urged to look at the race by local activists. more...
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Group Hopes to Inspire Candidate
Watauga Democrat
By: Scott Nicholson
Published: 4:29 PM, 12/16/2009
Last updated: 4:33 PM, 12/16/2009
Old-school politics usually involved lots of backroom maneuvering of candidates, with a small party core deciding which candidates to put forth in coming elections.
That grooming process has been tossed out like punch-card ballots and train-whistle stops by Democrats who are lining up behind their favored candidate to take on incumbent Republican Virginia Foxx for the Fifth District U.S. Congressional seat next year. more...
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Group Hopes to Inspire Candidate
The Mountain Times
by Scott Nicholson
Published: 4:29 PM, 12/16/2009
Last updated: 4:33 PM, 12/16/2009
A public campaign is underway called "Draft Billy Kennedy," with party faithful hoping to gently pressure Kennedy into entering the race. What makes the draft attempt different is that the momentum is gathering in the virtual world, driven by a younger pool of voters. more...
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Here's the Candidate Who Will Beat Virginia Foxx
The Daily Kos
by irmaly
Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 01:16:02 PM PST
I live in the North Carolina 5th Congressional district and am a long-time Democratic activist here. Our district is a beautiful place with wonderful people, but we are represented in the House by the wicked witch of the West. more...
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Speaker Billy Kennedy Candidate for 5th Congressional District.
CharlotteObserver.com
Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, Jan 12 6:00p
at Iredell County Democratic Party Headquarters, Statesville, NC
Price: free Category: Community
Creator: janethall
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Foxx Toes Own Line
Journal Raleigh Bureau
By James Romoser
Published: November 29, 2009
Updated: 11/29/2009 04:57 pm
RALEIGH–In the post-Jesse Helms era, it's hard to find a North Carolina politician more polarizing than Virginia Foxx. A three-term congresswoman from Avery County, Foxx is seen by some as offensive and others as courageous. At 66, she clearly hasn't lost her zest for the thrust and parry of congressional politics. more...
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Foxx: Health Care Reform Scarier Than Terrorism
The Associated Press
November 2, 2009
Virginia Foxx Uses Strong Words to Oppose Health Care Reform Bill
WASHINGTON - A Republican U.S. congresswoman from North Carolina said Monday that people have more to fear from Democratic health care legislation than from terrorists. more...
