time4real, you can look up the rules and know what the qualifications are. If you don't find her qualified, fine. Get involved. Lots of people run for office who you may find unqualified for office. That doesn't mean they should be disqualified from running. That's the challenge of democracy -- that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from this earth as one Republican said 145 years ago.

If you don't like what you are seeing in politics, get involved. Nothing wrong with carping on the WRAL blog, but if that is the limit of your political activism, you are missing out and disenfranchising yourself.

1. I am hardly a "Good Ole Boy", believe me; 2. Dan Blue won the speakership twice, having been chosen by elected, not appointed, officials. He fell 1 vote short of besting Black in 1999, and was supported by both Ds and Rs. 3. Blue's popularity supersedes race, and I have no idea what the relevance is that his district has a large African-American population. 4. The party line? There has been corruption, both in NC and across the nation in both parties. I abhor corruption regardless of party. There is nothing to suggest that Dan has ever been dishonest. To the contrary, he's known on both sides of the isle for his integrity, and when he became the speaker of the House, he removed the lobbyists' sofas that lobbyists camped upon to buttonhole representatives and the speaker whenever they came and went from their offices. 5. I am a liberal, and I am proud of my liberalism. If that doesn't suit you, argue policy, not fallacy.

Excellent choice!!!!!!

As a very concerned citizen and one who will be affected by this choice greatly, I am disappointed. They stay with the old guard that was at one time a lobbyist for BCBS. The same company who won the state health plan contract under a no-bid process and is SUPPOSEDLY non-profit. How are you non-profit with 192 million in PROFIT? Dan, how much are they gonna give you bud??