Lewis backs former rival

Chapel Hill lawyer Ken Lewis went from losing in the North Carolina Democratic primary to serving as campaign chairman for the primary’s winner.

N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall added Lewis as her campaign chairman for the June 22 runoff against Cal Cunningham and potentially to defeat incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., come November.

“This is an important race that he has to be able to take part in,” said Marshall’s spokesman Sam Swartz, a former spokesman for Lewis. “He didn’t want to stay on the sidelines.”

In the May 4 Democratic primary, Marshall received the most votes with 36 percent but needed 40 percent to win the nomination.

Cunningham came in second with 27 percent of the vote, and immediately called for a

runoff.

Ken Lewis finished third with 17 percent and endorsed Marshall.

In a recent speech, Lewis said he supports Marshall because she will stand up against Washington insiders, will speak for the working people of North Carolina and will appeal to a broad range of voters.

The Marshall campaign reaps certain advantages by adding Lewis as a supporter, said Ferrel Guillory, UNC lecturer of journalism and director of the Program on Public life.

“It certainly benefits Marshall’s campaign that she got the support of one of her chief opponents,” Guillory said.

Lewis, who ran as the main black candidate, adds a large base of supporters to Marshall’s side.

“Black votes make up about one fifth of the electorate, so that could have a potentially large effect on the outcome,” Guillory said.

“He was the most important endorsement. He has strong support among black voters and was a member of the Obama campaign.”

Although Guillory said the addition of Lewis is an important victory for the Marshall campaign, he said it does not eliminate the possibility of a Cunningham victory.

“We respect Ken Lewis’ decision and think he added a lot to the primary contest,” said Cunningham campaign spokesman Jared Leopold.

“But this campaign is ultimately about the two candidates in the race right now, and we feel strongly that Cal’s the candidate with momentum.”

Guillory said that because both sides spent so much of their funding and energy on the primary, the runoff could prove to be low-key.

But both campaigns said they’re looking forward to the race against Burr, with the Marshall campaign especially looking forward to having Lewis on their side at that juncture.

“Ken is committed to doing everything he can to beat Burr,” Swartz said. “He’s not on board now because of Cal Cunningham.

“It’s not about Cal Cunningham and never has been. It’s about beating Richard Burr.”

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.