THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 11, 1996 TAG: 9611110029
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE LENGTH: 53 lines
When Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. won an unprecedented fourth term, he also won an unprecedented chance to control the course of the state.
When the new General Assembly convenes in January, Hunt will call most of the shots - something even Republicans acknowledge.
``Jim Hunt's popularity is immense,'' said House Majority Leader Leo Daughtry, R-Johnston. ``There will be an extreme amount of pressure on the legislature'' to go along with Hunt.
``He will have tremendous influence,'' House Minority Whip David Redwine, D-Brunswick, told The Charlotte Observer.
For now, Hunt pledges to heed voters' message to join hands with lawmakers and put politics and party aside. He says he doesn't plan to club legislators with the veto power voters gave to the governor on Tuesday.
``It'd suit me if I never had to use it,'' he said. ``I want to work with the legislature to get the right things done.''
The legislature's muddled makeup will likely serve to strengthen Hunt's hand.
House Republicans, who won their first majority this century two years ago, will have just a 61-59 edge this time.
Current House Speaker Harold Brubaker, R-Randolph, claims enough support from Republicans and a handful of conservative Democrats to stay in power. But some Democrats think they can convince enough Republicans to replace Brubaker with a Democrat, or with a Republican more to Hunt's liking.
Rep. Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, the top House Democrat, said he's in the race.
``I want to let people know there's an option out there,'' he said. ``I'm a serious candidate for speaker.''
In the Senate, Democrats will have a comfortable 30-20 majority with Sen. Marc Basnight, D-Dare, a close Hunt ally, leading the way.
The closely divided legislature might lead to fewer party-line votes and more bipartisan coalitions.
``This session will be the session of the moderate middle,'' Redwine said. ``The election really diminished both the far left and the far right.''
He predicts that Hunt will get much of his agenda because it sticks to that moderate line. Republican leader Brubaker, however, predicts a session of ``fine-tuning'' rather than major new initiatives.
Lawmakers should have littledoubt about what Hunt wants.
He has a 10-point agenda that has already been made into a chart that will soon become a familiar sight. It includes raising teacher pay, making schools safer, expanding child-care programs, requiring welfare recipients to work, cracking down on deadbeat parents and cleaning up polluted rivers.
Lawmakers might find that list attached to their desks next year.
Said Hunt: ``We'll autograph them for certain people.'' by CNB