Salisbury Residents Pleased With Hometown Girl Elizabeth Dole's Victory

U.S. Senate

from North Carolina. She also made many people in her hometown of Salisbury very proud.

"Well, I think it was great," resident Dorothy Kepley said. "It puts Salisbury on the map and we are thankful for that."

Speaking at her first news conference following her win Tuesdayagainst Democrat Erskine Bowles, Dole said entering the Senate aspart of the majority gives her an improved chance of helping makelast year's tax cuts permanent and adding a line-item vetoamendment to the U.S. Constitution.

"A lot of the things that I've outlined to achieve, those goalsare much more achievable" in a GOP-controlled Congress, Dole saidat the Rowan County Public Library, near the restored rail depotwhere 16 hours earlier she claimed victory.

Dole was a popular figure in Salisbury even before her victory. She served as a Cabinet secretary under two presidents. Even some who claim they do not agree with Dole's politics are happy that she did well.

"I think she is a good gal. I pulled for her," resident Jack Ramsey said. "I'm not a Republican, I'm a Democrat, but I have pushed for her and I will work with her."

Other residents are not happy with Tuesday's election results.

"I don't like the results. I was hoping Elizabeth Dole would lose, simply for the reason that she associates herself so closely with Jesse Helms, who I think is an embarrassment to North Carolina," resident R.C. Kesler said.

Dole is not the first U.S. Senator elected from Salisbury. Lee Overman represented North Carolina in the U.S. Senate from 1903 to 1930. He is also from Salisbury.

Dole beat Bowles with 54 percent of the vote.