Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1936-06-19
Pro-Hoey Attitude of
State Convention
Cited
Early Lead Means Much
Boys Have
Already Started Jump
ing, After First Prim-
airy Disappointment
by l. Gette Blythe)

10y LeGette Blythe)
That young Ralph w. Mcdonald
now has virtually no chance of win
ming the Democratic nomination for
Governor of North Carolina ON
July 4 must be the conclusion OF
the careful and fair-minded politi-
cal observer.
To put it another way, it will
require something little short of a
miracle to give the nomination to
DR.. Mcdonald over Shelby's vet
eran Democratic campaigner, Clyde
R. Hoey.
This must be the inevitable YER
dict regardless of any personal feel
ings or wishes any political observ-
er may have. The Winston-Salem
college professor faces a terrific
battle to overcome the very dcfin-
lite lead-much more definite than
the 4,O00-odd plurality in actual
votes would of themselves indicate
that Mr.. Hoey obtained.
At the Democratic State conven-
ton in Raleigh, Mi. Hoey was the
man of the hour. Certainly not
Hess than three-fourths of the dele
gates there were strongly pro-Hoey.
Very likely the proportion was even
higher. But at any rate, the cbn-
vention was a Hoey meeting, SO
much so that many more Thoughtful
Hoey supporters were afraid the
Hoeyites may have done too much
demonstrating. 1t got to the point
where some people were beginning
to interpret the doings as almost
persecution"
DR.. Mcdonald, sitting with his
attractive wife in a restaurant just
off Fayetteville street after mid
night Thursday, told this reporter
that he knew the convention was
pro-Hoey, was not the least alarm
ed that it was, and that he would
win Notwithstanding. The youth
full candidate, who has a magnetic
personality and who is admired by
many who refuse to support him
politically, may think the road
ahead is straight, but he will I'M
doubtedly find it beset with many
throns. There is no other way of
viewing the situation, if one is to
be sincere-and intelligent as pos
sible.
In the first place, DR.. Mcdonald
was supposed to have led the field.
He did not. The newspaper poll
said he would lead-decisively-
and the poll suggested he might
, win the nomination in the first
primary. Virtually everybody
thought he would be in the first
:place. Many of his most euthu-
~siastic supporters thought he would
win over his three opponents.
i But he ran second. That, from
a psychological standpoint was a
tremendous blow. 1t meant that
the representations had been
wrong. 1t meant that DR.. Mcdonald
|, was on the defensive. 1t meant
, that the bandwagon boys, who try
to ride the winner, had grabbed
off the wrong candidate. 1t meant:
too, that these bandwagon boy,
will jump on the Hbey wagon
, hereafter and swear that they had
t never been off it in the first place.
;. Summarizing that particular sit
uation leads to the conclusion that
it will be difficult for the young
anti-sales tax candidate to keep all
his recent supporters in line at the
), polls July 4. Many of his enthusl-
'~astic volunteer workers will desert.
{ 1t will be difficult 10 obtain enough
money with which to finance an
other Statewide campaign.
Il On the other hand, Hoey has the
advantage Of having led. Had ii
S been but 10 votes, it would have
CONTINUED on page four)