Literally.
Huntersville's John Aneralla, the former Mecklenburg County Republican Party chairman, began running for the new seat almost as soon as it was created, back on Sept. 18 of last year. But now he isn't alone in the race to represent the GOP-leaning district that includes all of north Mecklenburg, and stretches along the eastern border of the county to Matthews in southeastern Mecklenburg.
On Tuesday, Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte told the Citizen he is also running for Senate District 41, which pits him against friend and fellow church member Aneralla. It was during a blood drive at Davidson United Methodist Church last week that Tarte says he told Aneralla he had finally decided to enter the race.
"We're good friends and we go to church together," says Tarte, who recently won a third term as mayor of Cornelius. "We were literally sitting side-by-side donating blood, and he asked me if I was going to run. We were sitting there afterward drinking juice and eating cookies and I told him I was going to run."
Tarte has been considering the run for several months, but was concerned that business and personal obligations would be too great an obstacle to overcome. However, he recently sold most of his share in a medical technology consulting business to his partners — he retained 20 percent but is out of the day-to-day operations — which will allow him the time to campaign and to serve, if elected.
That means he and Aneralla — at least — will square off in a primary election on Tuesday, May 8. The filing period officially begins Monday, Feb. 13, and closes on Wednesday, Feb. 29. In the meantime, Tarte has some catching up to do. Because of his past work with the county party, Aneralla may enjoy greater name recognition, particularly outside of north Mecklenburg. Tarte is well known here, but is a stranger to residents of Matthews, Mint Hill and eastern Mecklenburg. He plans a campaign kickoff on the morning of Feb. 7 in Cornelius, appearing in Matthews around mid-day.
Aneralla has been busy gathering endorsements both locally and statewide for his bid. In a press release issued Tuesday, he claimed endorsements from 35 state and local leaders, among them business leaders, past and current state representatives and senators, and past and present local and county elected officials. For his part, Tarte expects to collect many endorsements of his own, perhaps some of Aneralla's now that there is an option to what has heretofore been the lone Republican candidate in a heavy GOP district.
"The good thing is it looks like I will have the support of all the Republican mayors and independent mayors," Tarte says.
Aneralla is known to be more conservative than Tarte, which will provide voters a study in contrasts.
"I think it's healthy that people have choices, and they should have choices," says Tarte. "He's (Aneralla) a really good guy and we have different experiences, and the electorate needs to do their homework. And we may not be the only ones running."
Tarte says he is running because he sees an opportunity to further the Republican agenda in North Carolina, but more than that, he wants a chance to represent his home district in Raleigh.
"Hopefully, serving as mayor gives me some unique perspective to address those needs," says Tarte. "As a businessman, I've hired people and I know what it takes to create opportunity. I want to do what is necessary to create jobs, which essentially means getting the government out of the way of businesses to do what they do best."
Among his key agenda items is continuing to develop multiple modes of transportation, continued improvements on I-77, and simplifying regulations and corporate tax codes to help stimulate job growth. Most important, he says, is public safety.
"That is still job one, but what we are really behind is supporting law enforcement in the courtroom," says Tarte. "We have to get more judges and magistrates in place. It's one thing to have effective law enforcement, but when we don't have what we need to take care of the back end of the process — the ability to process these cases in court — it does no good."
Next week: John Aneralla.
