Endorsements: Congress

Walter Jones, a Republican, is running for his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. G.K. Butterfield, a Democrat, is seeking his first full term there.

Both of their districts include portions of Wayne County.

And both are deserving of re-election.

Congressman Jones has served the people of the Third District — and the people of our nation — conscientiously and well during the last 10 years.

He speaks softly, but his voice is heard widely and respected among his colleagues in Washington. Jones’s continued service in Congress is particularly important to eastern North Carolina which encompasses Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Cherry Point Marine Base, Camp Lejeune and Fort Bragg.

Jones is a veteran member of the Armed Services Committee and serves on the subcommittees on Readiness and Tactical Air/Land Forces. He is a member of the Resources Committee and subcommittees on Forests and Forest Health; National Parks and Public Lands.

He also serves on committees on Financial Services, Housing and Community Opportunity; Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit.

Congressman G.K. Butterfield is serving out a term as First District congressman following the resignation of Frank Ballance. He brings to that office an impressive background. While in private law practice, he fought for and won significant civil rights cases. Butterfield then served as a Superior Court judge and as a justice on the State Supreme Court.

Though the rankest of freshmen in Congress, he proved his courage and effectiveness almost immediately by helping to hold the U.S. Navy to tether on its overly aggressive moves to proceed with an Outlying Landing Field while the issue was still pending in the courts.

He serves on two major committees of particular importance to his constituency —- Agriculture and Small Business.

His district and the state are fortunate to have one of his credentials willing to serve in Washington.

Published in Editorials on October 22, 2004 11:34 AM