Former N.C. justice to run for governor in ‘08
Wednesday, January 31st, 2007
By Chris Fitzsimon
GOP’s Orr, 60, says he’ll push education
DAVID INGRAM
dingram@charlotteobserver.com
RALEIGH - A former justice on the N.C. Supreme Court has become the first major-party candidate to announce for the 2008 N.C. governor’s race.
Bob Orr, 60, a Republican who grew up in Hendersonville and later practiced law in Asheville, said Tuesday he will file papers this week or next to begin raising money. He said he decided to run after several months of talking with supporters.
Orr spent eight years on the N.C. Court of Appeals and 10 years on the state’s highest court before stepping down in 2004 to run a conservative group focused on legal issues. The group, the N.C. Institute for Constitutional Law, sued the state over the creation of the lottery and tax breaks given to computer maker Dell. The lawsuits have so far been unsuccessful.
As a justice, Orr wrote a landmark opinion arguing that the N.C. Constitution guarantees an opportunity to a "sound basic education." He said he will continue that theme in his gubernatorial race.
"You look at the dropout rate. You look at the problems with the testing program," Orr said in an interview. "And in my mind we’ve shifted a lot more responsibilities over to teachers. They’re not just teachers. They’re social workers. They’re law enforcement agents." (more…)
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