Asheville Area Hopefuls Get Sierra Club Endorsement
County Commission and State Legislative Candidates Gain Support

Raleigh - The North Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club announced its support for candidates seeking a seat at the General Assembly, as well as those seeking election to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. Jane Whilden and Susan Wilson earned the Sierra Club’s endorsement for their races for NC House Districts 116 and 115, respectively.

“Jane Whilden and Susan Wilson are the leaders that we need in Raleigh representing the people of Buncombe County,” said Ken Brame, the NC Sierra Club’s State Political Chair and Asheville resident. “Our members are concentrated on moving North Carolina forward by embracing clean energy and finding ways to protect our state’s air, water, and natural places. These are the candidates to do just that, and our members are going to be working hard to get them elected.”

The Sierra Club also endorsed seven candidates running for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, including Chairman David Gantt. “We need Gantt’s continued leadership,” added Brame. “Most of the time, air and water issues are local issues. We need make sure the families of Buncombe County have commissioners who will work to ensure the public health of our communities is protected.”

Other candidates running for the state legislature from the area that earned the Sierra Club’s endorsement are listed below.

For a full list of the NC Sierra Club’s 2012 endorsements, including Council of State endorsements, please visit: http://nc2.sierraclub.org/2012endorsements

After interviews with candidates where possible and careful research, the WENOCA group of the Sierra Club announces its endorsements for the following candidates and issues.

President

Barack Obama & Joe Biden

US Congress

Patsy Keever – US House District 10

Hayden Rodgers – US House District 11

State Wide

Linda Coleman Lt. Governor

Ray Cooper Attorney General

Janet Cowell Treasurer

NC State Senate

Martin Nesbitt – District 49 – Buncombe County

John Snow – District 50 – Western NC

NC State House

Susan Fisher – District 114 – Asheville

Susan Wilson – District 115 – southeast, east and northeast Buncombe County

Jane Whilden – District 116 -southwest, west and northwest Buncombe County

Ray Rapp -District 118 – Haywood, Madison, and Yancey Counties

Joe Sam Queen – District 119 – Jackson, Haywood, and Swain Counties

Buncombe County

David Gantt – Chair County Commission

Drew Reisinger – Register of Deeds

Holly Jones – District 1

Brownie Newman – District 1

Ellen Frost – District 2

Carol Peterson – District 2

Michelle Pace Wood – District 3

Terry Van Duyn – District 3

City of Asheville Referendum

NO on Water System Sale or Lease