THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411200077
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SALISBURY LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
As Republican legislators gathered Saturday in Salisbury, former state Rep. Raymond Warren of Charlotte, a newly elected Superior Court Judge for Mecklenburg County, wistfully recalled his days in the state House of Representatives.
``We had great esprit de corps. We were the rebels and we felt like rebels seated in the back of the chamber,'' said Warren in an interview before the caucus of GOP legislators at the Holiday Inn here.
When Warren served in the House from 1985 to 1987, Republicans numbered just 38 members in that chamber and 12 in the Senate. When the legislature convenes in 1995, a decade later, they will have nearly doubled those numbers.
Republicans are poised to control 68 of 120 seats in the state House and 24 of 50 seats in the state Senate, giving them a majority of legislators serving in the General Assembly for the first time this century (Republicans were elected to 67 House seats two weeks ago. A 68th seat comes from Democratic Rep. Frances Cummings of Robeson County, who announced Saturday that she was switching parties).
And Republican lawmakers were jubilant - cracking jokes and bashing Democrats - as they changed from rebels to new House leaders and prepared to attack the two-vote margin that keeps the Democrats in control in the Senate.
``What a tremendous responsibility you have in front of you and what a tremendous opportunity,'' said former Gov. James Martin, in remarks before about 100 Republicans at the meeting. ``There are some who still think you can't do it.''
``I guarantee you it's going to be tougher now but I guarantee North Carolina that you are tougher now,'' he said. ``You are going to do just fine.''
As expected, House Republicans nominated Randolph County cattle rancher and businessman Harold J. Brubaker as the new House speaker.
Since Republicans control a majority of House seats their nomination of Brubaker, the first Republican chosen to serve as House speaker this century, means he will succeed Wake County lawyer Daniel T. Blue, the first black to serve as speaker in state history.
Sen. Betsy L. Cochrane, R-Davie, was selected by GOP senators to serve as minority leader in that chamber, the first women ever chosen for that post.
Both said in interviews after the caucus that their first steps will be to work for passage of the items in their one-page contract that Republican candidates for the legislature signed on the steps of the state capitol in October. Most likely, they said, the Republicans will move first on a tax cut, gubernatorial veto, welfare reform, and some budget reform measures. Brubaker predicted that most of those items could be passed in the first 100 days of the 1995 session.
``We signed the contract. We're going to deliver,'' Brubaker said.
Said Cochrane: ``I think we have a blueprint - the contract that we signed, so that . . . we can respondto the electorate.''
``It's a wonderful opportunity to show North Carolina the kinds of things we have been doing for this state,'' she said. ``North Carolina is going to know we are here.''
Brubaker plans to meet next week in Raleigh with Blue to prepare for the transition in leadership in that chamber while Cochrane will meet with Senate leader Marc Basnight, D-Dare, president pro tempore of that chamber, to discuss a more active role for the GOP in the upcoming session.
But despite meeting with Basnight, the GOP will clearly continue to seek two Democratic senators to join Republican ranks and wrest control of the Senate from Basnight, Cochrane said.
It's ``a reasonable, expected activity,'' she said.
Along with their new power, the Republicans will receive closer scrutiny from the voters and press and will be under intense pressure to perform their new duties well, the new GOP leaders said.
And the Republican hold on power in the state legislature will be ``temporary if we don't deliver,'' said Brubaker. ``If we deliver, it will be long term.''
Newly nominated Speaker Pro Tempore Carolyn B. Russell, R-Wayne agreed. ``We have to stay focused. It's vitally important that these two years be a success,'' she said. ``We're going to have to pretend that's all we've got.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Brubaker
Graphic
NEW REPUBLICAN LEGISLATIVE LEADERS
Two eastern North Carolina Republicans were among the new leaders
chosen to lead the GOP in the legislature. Here's a look at the new
Republican leadership.
House Speaker - Rep. Harold J. Brubaker, R-Randolph.
House Speaker Pro Tempore - Rep. Carolyn B. Russell, R-Wayne.
House Majority Leader - Rep. N. Leo Daughtry, R-Johnston.
House Majority Leader - Rep. Robert C. ``Robin'' Hayes,
R-Cabarrus.
Senate Minority Leader - Sen. Betsy L. Cochrane, R-Davie.
Senate Minority Whip - Sen. Austin M. Allran, R-Catawba.
Joint Caucus Leader - Rep. C. Robert Brawley, R-Iredell.
by CNB