page_title: G. K. Butterfield
section_title: 2012
hierarchical_section_title: G. K. Butterfield / Political campaigns / 2012
caption_attribution_description: 2012 Democratic National Convention: Day 3
context_page_description: George Kenneth Butterfield Jr. is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 1st congressional district since 2004. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected in a special election after the resignation of Frank Ballance.
  His district is located in the state's northeastern corner, stretching from Durham to Elizabeth City; it includes all or parts of 24 counties. A longtime advocate on behalf of civil rights, Butterfield was appointed to be an Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court by Governor Mike Easley in 2001, retaining the position until 2003. He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and served as its chair from 2015 to 2017.
context_section_description: Butterfield sought re-election in 2012; the district was expected to strongly favor Democrats.
  In April 2012, Butterfield accompanied President Obama to speak at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to speak about extending the current interest rates on federal loan program for many undergraduate students. Butterfield expressed concern with the pending expiration, saying: “Allowing the current interest rates to expire would burden students with additional debt, prolong their ability to kick start their careers, and send the message that it is more important to cut taxes for the wealthy than educational expenses for our young people.”
caption: Butterfield speaking at the 2012 Democratic National Convention
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