Pittenger gives his campaign $1.1 million

Republican Robert Pittenger has put at least $1.13 million into his 9th District congressional campaign, a new report shows. That makes the total he raised through mid-April $1.4 million. That's four times as much as his nearest GOP rival in the 10-man primary.

Pittenger, a real estate invester, put another $150,000 in his campaign in April. The money has allowed him to run an aggressive media campaign on TV and radio and put glossy mailers into the homes of many GOP voters.

He's not the only one giving or loaning himself money. State Rep. Ric Killian loaned his campaign $101,000. Financial consultant Edwin Peacock took out a $249,999 home equity loan. And insurance executive Dan Barry put in nearly $74,000.

Pittenger had more cash on hand -- $451,000 -- in mid-April than any other candidate had raised in the whole campaign.

And Monday the first Super Pac weighed in on the 9th District race. The Washington-based

Citizens for Conservative Leadership spent $6,600 on a mailer opposing former Sheriff Jim Pendergraph, a frequent target of Pittenger's ads.

That's still far short of the $371,000 independent groups have spent in the GOP primary in the neighboring 8th District. Most has come from the Club for Growth, which supports dentist Scott Keadle.

Pittenger: Pendergraph 'living off the taxpayers'

Republican Robert Pittenger's latest mailer hit mailboxes Tuesday. One mailbox belonged to Jim Pendergraph.

The headline: "Jim Pendergraph's Guide, How to Get Rich in Politics."

The part that galled Pendergraph, who pulled a folded copy of his pocket at a forum Tuesday night, was on the inside.

"Jim Pendergraph has been living off the taxpayers for his entire adult life," it said.

Pendergraph, an Army veteran, was a police officer for the city and county before being elected Mecklenburg County sheriff in 1994. He retired from that job in 2007 and worked briefly for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington.

At the forum, he said he took the criticism "on behalf of" every person in military uniform, every cop on the street and every sheriff. The crowd of Iredell County Republicans applauded.

Man bites dog? Peacock giving money back

At a time candidates are busy raising money, so is Edwin Peacock. But with a twist.

One of 11 Republicans running in the 9th Congressional District, he's giving money back. In a letter to 332 donors to his Charlotte City Council campaign, he announced that he was refunding them a pro-rated amount of the $19,330 left in his city campaign account.

But the refunds come with a caveat.

"I'd like to ask you kindly return at least (some) and if you feel comfortable, please consider giving more," he wrote. "...Please make checks payable to "Edwin Peacock for Congress. A postage paid return envelope is provided."

Because of different donation limits, federal candidates aren't allowed to transfer money from state or local accounts. They can give the money away or refund it. Peacock is betting that giving it back could bring him more.

"We just decided that this is a pretty good way to get this money back and maybe more," he said. "Obviously it's not our money."

He's not the only GOP candidate with money in another campaign account.

Andy Dulin had $10,490 in his city council account at the start of the year. Ric Killian had $33,602 in his legislative account. Jim Pendergraph had just $510 in his Mecklenburg commissioner account. And Dan Barry, Weddington's mayor pro tem, last reported $705 on hand.

Myrick, McHenry endorse in the 9th District

U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick has endorsed Republican Jim Pendergraph in the race for her 9th District seat.

"I know of his integrity and where he stands on the issues," Myrick said of Pendergraph. "He's an average guy - one of us. He's spent his entire life in service to people and defending the rule of law. If ever in history we needed people like that in Congress - it's now."

Meanwhile her colleague, Republican U.S. Rep Patrick McHenry of Cherryville, has endorsed former state Sen. Robert Pittenger. McHenry will headline a Friday fundraiser for Pittenger at Zebra restaurant.

"I served with Robert in the North Carolina Legislature," McHenry said in a statement. " No one gave stronger leadership and specific solutions to address our state's enormous fiscal mess than Robert."

There are nine other Republicans running for the seat.

Ex-sheriff's email riles sheriff candidate

Former Mecklenburg Sheriff Jim Pendergraph’s four-word description of a candidate who wants his old job has prompted that candidate to blast the comment as untrue, inappropriate and unprofessional.

In an email, Pendergraph called Democrat Antoine Ensley “a Nick Mackey clone.”

“The fact is former Sheriff Pendergraph knows very little if anything tangible about me to make such a remark linking me to Mr. Mackey in such a negative manner,” Ensley emailed Democratic activists in response.

Ensley faces Sheriff Chipp Bailey in next week’s Democratic primary. Pendergraph, a former Democrat, is running for nomination as a Republican to the board of county commissioners.

The spat revives the controversy that ensued when Pendergraph stepped down in 2007.

He supported longtime colleague Bailey for the job. Mackey beat Bailey in a special local party election, later thrown out by the state party for irregularities. County commissioners went on to appoint Bailey.

The drawn-out controversy split the party and the community, often along racial lines.
Pendergraph says he sent the email to one person “because somebody was asking me who to vote for.”

“I don’t deny sending that but I don’t remember who I sent it to,” he said today.

Ensley says it doesn’t matter.

“Whether it went to one person or 5,000 people, to make a comment about a candidate that you don’t know and to suggest that he’s linked to somebody … is totally inappropriate and unprofessional,” he says. “I was just offended by it.”

Ensley and Mackey, now a state legislator, worked together at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department. But he says Mackey neither recruited nor encouraged him to run for office.

“It’s intended to distract people,” he said of Pendergraph’s email. “I would expect a lot better from somebody who served this community in such a leadership way.”

Pendergraph for Congress?

Will outgoing Mecklenburg County Sheriff Jim Pendergraph run for Congress? As a Republican?

He’s keeping that option open.

Pendergraph, a lifelong Democrat, is leaving his post for a job in Washington with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He got a pair of surprise send-offs from local Democrats. County commissioner Parks Helms proposed letting an administrator – not the sheriff – run the county’s jails.

And Democrats who oppose Pendergraph’s program of deporting jailed illegal immigrants balked at endorsing his hand-picked successor.

Pendergraph calls himself an "ultra-conservative Democrat." He’s voted for Jesse Helms and Sue Myrick. He won’t say whether he voted for George W. Bush. So it’s little surprise that Republicans have asked him to switch.

"They’ve worn me out," he says.

There’s been talk about Pendergraph switching parties and running for Myrick’s congressional seat.

"I never say never," he says, "because 15 years ago people asked me about running for sheriff and I said ‘That was crazy.’ I’m gonna leave that open. I’m certainly interested ... but I’m more interested in this new opportunity I have taken. And that’s where my attention is going to be totally."

Myrick, 66, is expected to run again next year. After that, who knows? Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and state Sen. Robert Pittenger could both be interested. That doesn’t bother Pendergraph.

"I’ll let them worry about that," he says. "If I jumped in on something like that, I’d have to be pretty confident I could (win) and I’m not ready to do that. But I keep all options open."