Campaigns heat up in final days

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Big political names are in town doing their part to sway voters in the days leading up to the primaries.

The race for US Congress in our area is heating up, and the candidates are getting their hands dirty.

Today former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was in town to raise money and throw his support behind congressional candidate Woody White.

This as White and his main opponent David Rouzer find themselves taking hits in the political arena. As the clock ticks down to Election Day the airwaves are heating up.

“I think people need to go to Washington not because they wanna be a somebody,” Huckabee said, “but because they want to serve the somebodies of their district.”

At a news conference in Wilmington, Huckabee outlined why he thinks White is the man for the job.

“People have gone to Washington, and it has been like the roach motel,” he said. “They’ve gone in, but they’ve never come out.”

Huckabee, though, played right into a line White’s opponent has been harping on for weeks now.

“He doesn’t need this job,” Huckabee said of White. “He truly doesn’t need a job. He’s got a job, and a good one.”

A point Rouzer is quick to make as well.

“Have you heard a good joke about a lawyer?” Rouzer said in a campaign ad referring to White’s history as a trial lawyer. “I bet you have.”

White is fighting back and defending his career in his ads. He also attacks Rouzer on his position on amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Though White wouldn’t discuss the negative campaigning within news releases this week, he calls Rouzer pro-amnesty. It’s a charge Rouzer vehemently denies.

Early voting started this week.

Primary Election Day is May 6.