North Carolina's Independent Weekly covers the full public financing pilot program that applies to three Council of State races this year, and talks to candidates about how their run with public funding will diverge from the traditional campaign model.

The major change is of course in where candidates will be spending most of their time -- instead of making fundraising calls from a small room, they'll be out talking to people:

Goodwin feels like "the shackles have been loosened" for him, and he can campaign the old-timey way, "drinking RC Colas at the county courthouse." Seriously, he says, with public funding in prospect for the fall should he win his primary, he won't have to put the arm on the insurance companies his department regulates—the only folks interested in giving big money to a campaign for insurance commissioner.


Goodwin and his opponent in the Democratic primary, Raleigh lawyer David C. Smith, both signed up for the public-financing option, as did the one Republican candidate, former Raleigh City Councilor John Odom.


In the auditor's race, incumbent Republican Les Merritt also opted for public financing (he has no primary opposition), and so did the two Democrats, former Deputy Corrections Secretary Fred Aikens and Beth Wood, a career professional in the auditor's office who resigned so she could challenge Merritt.


Wood and Aikens both say they wouldn't have run if it weren't for the public-funding option.

Let's hope this program gets extended to all Council of State offices next time around -- and then to legislative races.