NC Democratic Party Chair Wayne Goodwin Announces 2020 Bid to Retake Commissioner of Insurance

RALEIGH – Now that the smoke has cleared a bit from the little attempted fraud and bribery scandal involving a mega-rich bipartisan donor that wrecked the NCGOP and was focused upon the N.C. Department of Insurance, the mega-donor’s original string-puller has declared his intention to reclaim the Insurance Commissioner post he held for eight years.

Wayne Goodwin, having served as the head of the N.C. Democratic Party since his defeat to Republican Mike Causey in 2016, will challenge Causey again in 2020.

BREAKING: current @NCDemParty Chairman @WayneGoodwinNC addresses the delegates of the PFFPNC and officially announces his candidacy to regain his position as NC Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal. pic.twitter.com/SGofbP5nC9

— Asheville Fire Fighters (@AFFA332) November 12, 2019

Goodwin’s run as chair of the NCDP was reasonably successful by electoral measures as the party raised record amounts of money and made significant cracks in the Republican legislative majority and vital judicial races. While in that role he relished the well-earned and disgraceful exit of NCGOP chair Robin Hayes for federal convictions relating to a donor’s attempted bribe to buy influence with the new Insurance Commissioner. Yet it was Goodwin himself that helped to receive special, possibly illegal, and enriching treatment while also getting big campaign donations.

Nothing to see there, right? Not according to the pitiful amount of coverage that very juicy plot line received during the scandal’s peak. Realistically he won’t face any of those tough questions by the mainstream media this time around either.

Yet that still doesn’t make up for the challenge he now has to defeat Causey. Of every actor in the NCGOP/DONOR fraud scandal, Causey played the role of boy scout. He had a moral compass all too rare among politicians, immediately rebuffed attempts to corrupt him, went to the FBI and wore a wire crucial to the indictments. Not to mention the built in catalysts of a presidential election with Trump on the ticket.

Meanwhile, Goodwin has been leading a band of woke social justice warriors across the state. This should be interesting.