DH: Walter Jones Gets Another Primary Challenger

Morehead City – Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) is getting a lot of attention from aspiring politicians these days. The maverick Republican and deficit hawk has now attracted a second challenger, with Phillip Law reportedly entering the primary race for the Third District seat.

“Now comes word — from moles in the district — that a former Jones opponent may be jumping into the race. According to the moles, Scott Dacey and Philip Law both spoke to the Crystal Coast Tea Party Patriots in Morehead City last night.

My folks in the room told me that (1) Law told the group he will be running against Jones and (2) Dacey did not appear to be happy about it at all.”

The DH always has ‘folks in the room’ it seems, and we’re better off for it. Apparently lobbyist Scott Dacey had been assured by Law that the former would not be entering the race.

“Dacey, according to my sources in the room, said he and Law had a “handshake agreement” that Law would not get in the race. People in the district tell me that — as late as Christmas — Law was adamantly denying rumors he was going to run and was endorsing Dacey.”

So with the sudden entry of a new, but familiar Jones opponent the primary vote will be split up (at least) three ways. N.C. Senate majority leader Harry Brown had been rumored to be considering a run in the Third District, but ultimately announced he’d be seeking reelection to his post on Jones Street.

Maybe the more binding handshake Law had was with the incumbent, all but insuring his name recognition advantage keeps the challengers are bay and send him back to Washington, D.C. for another couple years.

While Jones is fond of bucking his party – voting against the GOP tax cuts, for instance – his aversion to Big Government spending may come in handy as congress moves their focus to grand infrastructure plans in the next couple years.

Read more scoops from DH here.