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Alleged school board romance pops up in NC House campaign sign

Allegations of a romantic relationship between two Wake County school board members, both of whom are running for state office, have prompted a campaign sign against one.

Posted Updated

By
Laura Leslie
and
Matthew Burns

Allegations of a romantic relationship between two Wake County school board members, both of whom are running for state office, have prompted a campaign sign against one.

Chris Malone is the Republican candidate for a House district in northeast Wake County. He's running against Democrat Lori Millberg, a former school board member.

A sign seen outside an early voting site in Knightdale on Friday features the faces of Malone and Debra Goldman in front of the backdrop for the 1970s television game show "The Dating Game."

"Public service is not The Dating Game," the sign proclaims.

Goldman told Cary police two years ago that she thought Malone might have been involved in the theft of cash and jewelry from her home. When police questioned Malone, he told them he and Goldman had a romantic relationship, a claim that she has repeatedly denied.

Goldman, the Republican candidate for state auditor, said details in the police report of the case were leaked to the news media recently to derail her campaign.

Left-leaning group Progress North Carolina put up the Dating Game sign, and executive director Gerrick Brenner said it has prompted a few complaints as being inappropriate.

"For the most part, the reaction's been positive," Brenner said. "People have vaguely heard about some of the stuff in the news, and they're appreciative to be reminded of it because people do think it's a relevant issue."

Malone declined to comment on the sign.

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