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Saturday, September 29, 2012 12:19 AM Wayne Gay ad stirs debate Leader: McCrory's team approached former sheriff By Jon Jimison | Times Editor Former Wilson County Sheriff Wayne Gay’s TV spot in support of Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory is stirring debate in the state. "Once a sheriff, always a sheriff,” Gay states in the TV ad. "Once a Democrat, always a Democrat. Never voted any other way. Until now. North Carolina is a mess. Not getting better. Our only hope is Pat McCrory. Outsider. Fresh blood. The greatest mayor of Charlotte. He’ll do great for our state. Or I’ll hunt him down.” Democratic Sen. Floyd McKissick is asking McCrory’s campaign to stop running what he characterizes as an offensive ad. Gay, a 28-year sheriff, lost his last re-election bid in the 2010 Primary to Calvin Woodard, a black challenger. Gay, who switched to the Republican Party last year, is now backing Republican McCrory. McKissick is the head of the Legislative Black Caucus. McKissick claims his comments after that stinging defeat were racially divisive. Gay apologized later. McCrory campaign spokesman Ricky Diaz said this week that McKissick’s criticism of a positive ad is a desperate attack by those who support Democratic rival Walter Dalton, AP reported. "You are currently running a television advertisement starring former Wilson County Sheriff Wayne Gay, who ran a highly publicized re-election campaign in 2010 that the press classified as ‘race-baiting,’” McKissick wrote in a letter to McCrory. "He triggers a racial cue that has no place in this campaign.” "The ad featuring Wayne Gay is offensive and plays upon fear. Thus, I call on you to take it down.” Gary Proffitt, Wilson County GOP chairman, said he doesn’t understand what is being read into that commercial. "I support the commercial,” Proffitt said. "Wayne has sent a very strong message supporting Pat. How all this rhetoric is being read into this commercial itself I do not understand.” Further, Proffitt said, the local Republican Party has been in communication with McCrory’s team and Gay understands if McCrory wants to pull it. "His team said absolutely not,” Proffitt said. Gay was approached a while back by McCrory’s campaign staff about filming the commercial and he agreed, Proffitt said. "He filmed it months and months and months ago,” Proffitt said. "By design it just aired.” Proffitt said Gay has become a very active Republican in his short time in the party, even hosting fundraisers at his house. He has hosted a large fundraiser for McCrory. "He has been a strong advocate for Republicans,” Proffitt said. "He’s a great man and I wish we had more of him. I’m just at a loss why the public keeps attacking Wayne Gay when he has done nothing wrong. It is just mind blowing to me.” Proffitt is particularly stumped, he said, that people can read something into an ad that isn’t there in the first place. "I have listened to it and listened to it and listened to it,” Proffitt said. "We know it is a very effective ad for the Democrats to be so upset about it.” Proffitt said he has actually noted more airings of the ad in recent days. And some longtime Wilson Democrats have noted it’s particularly surprising to see Gay, who had always been associated with the Democratic Party throughout three decades as sheriff, to be featured front and center in a Republican advertisement. jjimison@wilsontimes.com | 265-7813 |
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Alert said...
Somebody please find the parents of "blown away" and let them know that their three year old is playing on WTD website again. Gosh parents these days!
Friday, October 05, 2012 at 2:59 PM
Just Sayin' said...Somebody please find the parents of "blown away" and let them know that their three year old is playing on WTD website again. Gosh parents these days!
Friday, October 05, 2012 at 2:59 PM
I'm still laughing hysterically at Wayne Gay's TV ad in support of McCrory for Governor. So, if McCrory doesn't do right by North Carolina,Wayne Gay is "gonna hunt him down!"
If McCrory is elected, I will be patiently waiting to see Wayne Gay take action because I think I have figured our Mr. McCrory's agenda. Keep 'em coming Mr. Gay!!! After all, "once a Sheriff, always a Sheriff!"
Friday, October 05, 2012 at 2:07 PM
ILUVCOLLARDS...For your information, I live in a very nice house...but I'm earning my own money to pay for it...haha. Enough said...not wasting anymore time with you!!
Friday, October 05, 2012 at 9:43 AM
I agree with I'm voting Romney. You would think that when gay lost his position as sheriff that a lot of things that people say he was involved in would come to light with him no longer being a threat. People would have come forward with information. But no. They haven't and nothing has come to the surface. Seems to me that people judged him and may be wrong. These days nobody is above the law from what I see in the news. From college coaches to governors they have all been brought to the forefront. But nothing on gay but people's opinions or rumors. It should make sense to people with common sense. Just saying.
Friday, October 05, 2012 at 9:27 AM
I dont understand where "blown away" is coming from. What does a house have to do with this article? I've heard all this stuff before but yet there are no charges being brought up on gay. I have seen other law enforcement get arrested for crimes they commit and even go to prison. But yet with all these comments im not reading anything to support the rumors on here. Day in and day out I see the same comments bashing gay and being a crook. but he was asked to be in a commercial. He continues to be a prominent figure and is respected by a lot of people. Of course not the ones he may have made mad or jealous over the years by the comments I've seen. I hope your way of life gets better because its obvious that your not happy
Thursday, October 04, 2012 at 8:39 PM
