Wainwright appreciates show of support

Rep. William Wainwright thanked his supporters for re-electing him to the N.C. House District 12 seat for the 10th time.

Wainwright, 59, a Democrat, defeated Republican challenger Mark Griffin, 25, of Dover, to represent Lenoir and Craven counties.

"I am grateful for the voters in District 12 and their vote of confidence," Wainwright said. "I will represent them again in the N.C. House."

The state will face many challenges in the pending months, he said. Wainwright said legislators are hoping the economy improves in 2009, which could reduce the expected revenue shortfall in the state.

"We will work to stabilize the economy," Wainwright said. "I will work to bring higher-paying jobs to Lenoir and Craven counties."

Wainwright also said he will work to provide children with good education and improve the state's health-care system.

Wainwright is the speaker pro tempore of the N.C House and is the presiding elder of the New Bern District of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

In Lenoir County, Wainwright received 7,320 votes; Griffin received 1,790. Craven County voters cast 8,151 ballots for Wainwright and 5,053 votes for Griffin.

Griffin analyzed his campaign's effectiveness.

"I spent less than $5,000 on my campaign," Griffin said. "I plan to run again in 2010."

If Griffin had unseated his opponent, he planned to work to pass an amendment to the state Constitution defining conception as the beginning of life. Griffin said such an amendment would help make abortion illegal in North Carolina.

It was Griffin's first campaign for the N.C. House seat. He was recently discharged from the U.S. Air Force and operates a dental lab.

The Republican candidate also spoke against the state's education lottery during his campaign, saying it was an immoral business.

After losing to Wainwright, Griffin said that he would "rather lose any day as a conservative Republican than win as a corrupt liberal Democrat."