Iraq leaps to forefront in race for N.C.'s 3rd Congressional District

For the first time since he swept into office on a Republican tidal wave in 1994, Rep. Walter B. Jones is facing not just a potential Democratic opponent in the fall, but also a challenger in the primary.

Joe McLaughlin, a financial analyst and retired military officer from Jacksonville, says Jones has strayed too far to the left in his positions, and has become a so-called RINO - Republican In Name Only.

"As a retired soldier, as a commander for 40,000 Marines, I got to the point where I couldn't accept that my congressman wanted to cut and run from Iraq," McLaughlin said.

"It's time to restore true Republican leadership to the district."

McLaughlin said the most critical issues the nation faces are the war on terror, the economy and illegal immigration.

Locally, he said, an outlying landing field is "absolutely imperative" to combat readiness, but the Navy needs to find a place where the majority of people will support the practice field.

Craig Weber, from Morehead City, and Marshall Adame, from Jacksonville, meanwhile, are aiming their own firepower toward the incumbent in their quest for the Democratic nomination for Jones' seat in the 3rd Congressional District.

A self-proclaimed pro-life Catholic from Farmville, Jones said that any challenge is serious, but he is confident that his support in the district will secure him his eighth term.

In turning against the war, Jones has been outspoken about what he characterizes as the needless loss of life and the drain on the military it has caused. He has also bucked the Bush administration by criticizing the growing budget deficit.

Jones brushed off critics who try to diminish his conservative cachet.

Being true to Republican principles involves fiscal responsibility, and that is what he has practiced, he said, in voting against the big-dollar Medicare prescription plan and the No Child Left Behind plan.

He is in favor of construction of a 700-mile fence to protect the southern border from an influx of an average of "8,000 to 10,000 invasions" a week. And he has worked to keep businesses from moving overseas.

"I think I've been fighting tooth and nail to protect American jobs," he said. "I want to bring America back to its greatness."

Jones said he has asked the Navy to remove Camden County from its list of potential OLF sites.

Weber, a retired TV anchor and meteorologist, said that his challenge of Jones in the last general election has made him a better candidate in his current run than Adame, his opponent in the primary race.

"We need a big change," he said. "You have to come up with a plan - you can't just state the issues."

An opponent of the war in Iraq, Weber said that he believes that the troops should be withdrawn and that Osama bin Laden must be found.

On the domestic front, Weber supports pursuit of wind and solar resources to provide an alternative to foreign oil.

Weber said that he understands that the Navy needs an OLF. "I'm not against OLFs," he said. "I'm against OLFs in this area."

For his part, Adame, a consultant to the Department of Defense, said that his years serving in Egypt and Iraq have motivated him to run for Congress to help restore America's reputation and principles.

Adame said that practices like torture and rendition must stop. "We cannot defeat our enemy by becoming like them," he said.

The former State Department diplomat said he was born into poverty and has insight into the struggles many citizens are confronting with the lean economy and mounting fuel costs.

"I believe that I have the kind of experience and knowledge to serve the American people," he said.

Adame said that North Carolina has to attract clean, sustainable industries to provide jobs, and more permits have to be provided for seasonal workers.

Rather than building a border fence that might violate water and property rights, Adame says, the government needs to put its money into hiring many more Border Patrol agents.

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com