Sen. Burr fires up Brunswick County GOP (with video)

SUNSET BEACH, N.C. -- If the nearly 180 mostly Brunswick County Republicans who paid $100 a plate for dinner Tuesday night at Sea Trail Conference Center expected to hear a campaign speech from U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., that's just what they got.

Sort of.

Burr, a freshman senator facing his first re-election battle, never once asked for votes for himself. Rather, he asked those gathered for the Brunswick Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner to commit to all Republican candidates.

It was a mantra local Republicans practiced to near perfection in the 2008 election, claiming victory in all locally contested seats and bucking a statewide Democratic move that saw the installation of Democrat Kay Hagan in the Senate seat formerly held by Elizabeth Dole and the delivery of the state's electoral votes to Barack Obama.

Burr did not tell all the diners what some said in pre-dinner conversations they wanted to hear.

"I want to hear him say we're going to get rid of health care," said Brenda Clemmons, the Brunswick County Register of Deeds who was among those swept into office in the 2008 election.

"That he's going to put the VA hospital out on U.S. 17," added Carol Hamilton, who was standing with Clemmons in the social hour before Burr's speech.

"I want to hear that there will be a real attempt to focus on jobs and the economy," said John Thompson, a Republican candidate for the Brunswick County school board seat being vacated by Scott Milligan. "We're really struggling, and I don't think we can achieve anything without prosperity."

"I would like to hear him say there's a chance the Senate can make changes to health care to make it friendlier to businesses, individuals and the state," said state Rep. Frank Iler, who was appointed to his seat after former Rep. Bonner Stiller resigned following the 2008 election.

But Burr likely did fulfill what chief resident Superior Court Judge Ola Lewis said she wanted to hear.

Lewis said she was interested in the Republican Party's plan for the next six years, and Burr delivered.

Republican success in November's vote, he said, will hinge on Republicans attracting new voters, including disaffected Democrats. Going forward from there, he said, Republicans will use the initiative gained this year to unseat President Obama in 2012.

John Pannullo, vice chairman of the Brunswick Republican Party, said the local party won't spend any of the $18,000 raised at the dinner to back one Republican against another in the May primary. Rather, the money will be part of a pot to be used for candidate support and get-out-the-vote drives for the November general election.

The dinner attracted many of Brunswick County's Republican officeholders, but none of them got a free ticket to eat, Pannullo said.

Only three didn't have to pay: state Republican Party Chairman Tom Fetzer, his wife and, of course, Burr.