h-m SOHP Series: The North Carolina Republican Party TAPE LOG - DAVID T. FLAHERTY. SR. Interviewee: DAVID T. FLAHERTY, SR. Interviewer: Joseph Mosnier Interview Date: Friday, Oct. 4, 1996 Location: Flaherty's home, Apex, NC Tape No.: 10.4.96-DF (cassette 1 of 1) (approximate total length 90 minutes) **NB: This is the second of two sessions; see also first session of Sept. 27,1996. This second session includes discussion of matters ca. 1976 onward. Topic: Flaherty has been a notable figure in NC Republican Party politics since the late 1960s. He was born Dec. 9,1928, in Boston, MA; graduated from high school in 1946 and then took an assembly job in a camera factory; served in the Army 1949-52; attended Boston University 1952-55, graduating in two and one-half years with a degree in business administration; joined Broyhill Industries (furniture company) in 1955, relocated to Lenoir, North Carolina later that year; was an active community volunteer; began his involvement in local Republican Party politics; served two terms in the NC Senate 1969-70 and 1971-72; was Secretary of the NC DepL of Human Resources under Gov. Jim Holshouser 1973-77; ran unsuccessfully as the GOP nominee for governor in 1976; served as NC GOP party chair 1981-85; was Secretary of the state Employment Security Commission 1985-87 and of the DepL of Human Resources 1987-92 under Gov. Jim Martin. Substantively, the interview was organized around several major themes: his views of Jim Hunt's rise, and the aftermath of Flaherty's failed 1976 bid for the governorship; the growth and evolution of the Congressional Club, and its relationship to the NC GOP through the late 1970s; his tenure as NC GOP state chair 1981-85, and relationship of the party to the Congressional Club; his service in the Martin administration; developments in the party after 1985, including continuing growth and success of the GOP; and the role of the Christian right in NC Republican politics. The interview proceeds through these matters in roughly chronological fashion, with a focus on Flaherty's political involvements. Subject Headings: North Carolina Republican Party; North Carolina Politics & Government; Congressional Club; Tom Ellis; Carter Wrenn; Jim Martin; Jack Hawke; Jim Hunt; Jim Broyhill. Comments: Only text in quotation marks is verbatim; all other text is paraphrased, including the interviewer's questions. Interview number A-0419 in the Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) at The Southern Historical Collection, The Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library, UNC-Chapel Hill. Restriction: Permission of interviewee required to read, listen to, or quote from interview. "N.C. Republican Party" - Tape Index, David T. Flaherty Sr. Interview, Oct. 4,1996 2 TAPE INDEX Counter Index Topic [Cassette 1 of 1, Side A - Tape No. 10.4.96-DF] 001 [Opening announcement] 005 Reflections on then-Lt. Gov. Jim Hunt as an emerging political figure during the 1970s. "It became obvious to me that [Hunt] was building for a statewide race." A key early backer of Hunt from Winston-Salem; how Hunt "put money aside" while Lt Gov. in preparation for a later run for governor. 036 His relationship with the emerging Congressional Club during the gubernatorial race in 1976; how Coy Privette, an opponent in the GOP primary Ellis after the primary victory, but the Club did not later give him any money; an ad by the Club that attacked the Democratic Party for its ties to the leader of the state AFL-CIO, who had been tied to a scandal. 073 Description of Tom Ellis, the founder of the Congressional Club. 081 Ca. 1976, the Club was not yet sufficiently powerful to exert much influence on the outcome of the gubernatorial primary. 093 His support for Ronald Reagan in 1976; the Club's successful effort to turn the state GOP presidential primary to Reagan. 112 Rejoining Broyhill Industries after his loss in the 1976 gubernatorial race, and his activities during the years ca. 1977-1980; how his name was advanced by the NC GOP to run for Secretary of State on a platform of abolishing the office. 129 Bob Shaw as NC GOP party chair 1975-77: "Bob Shaw was a terrible chairman, in my opinion"; "he's a very opinionated egomaniac, in my opinion"; "he was in the chairman's role but he was in bed with the Congressional Clubhand I thought he was using the Party headquarters to support Coy Privette and the other side...." 140 Under Jack Lee, NC GOP chair 1977-81, things "went from bad to worse" for the Party. 146 Being approached by the Congressional Club to play a role in the Club's effort to push for the election of Jimmy Green as Lt. Gov. in 1980; how the Club first wanted Flaherty to run as the GOP candidate for Lt. Gov. in a complicated scheme to hold the spot open for Green, who would switch parties in the event he lost the Democratic primary; Flaherty agreed, but the Club later changed course and brought a new candidate forward in the race, obviating the need for Interview number A-0419 in the Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) at The Southern Historical Collection, The Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library, UNC-Chapel Hill. Restriction: Permission of interviewee required to read, listen to, or quote from interview. "N.C. Republican Party" - Tape Index, David T. Flaherty Sr. Interview, Oct. 4,1996 3 Flaherty's nominal candidacy. How Flaherty had an odd personal connection to the family of I. Beverly Lake Jr., who was the Club-backed gubernatorial candidate in 1980. 204 Reflections on I. Beverly Lake Jr.: "he wasn't the man his dad was"; "he was no fighter" and Jim Hunt "tore him to pieces" in the 1980 gubernatorial race. "He lost the race himself; he was kind of lazy." The Club's role in Lake's switch to the GOP in advance of the 1980 race. 223 Sketch of John East, whom Flaherty thought was "an amazing guy." 238 Tom Ellis' condescending view of the electorate, which he considered a "flock" that must be led. 241 Further discussion of John East, and his election to the U.S. Senate in 1980. The Club's "whole concept of winning elections" centered on direct TV and radio advertising, which they judged the future of politics. 269 The extremely close relationship between Tom Ellis and Carter Wrenn, the two key figures in the Congressional Club. 280 Reasons for his decision to return to Raleigh in 1980 and to seek the chairmanship of the NC GOP. Replacing Jack Lee, "a nice guy" under whose leadership the Party had fallen into very poor shape. The bargain with the Congressional Club in 1980: the Club would back Flaherty's bid for Party chair, and thereafter Flaherty would focus on building the party organization and structure within the state, while the Club would call the shots in national races (U.S. Congress, presidency). 337 Upon taking the reins as NC GOP chair in 1981, getting the Party's affairs in order and paying off its debts. 371 His first big conflict with the Club and Tom Ellis was over the Club's request that he endorse the Club's candidate, David Funderburk, in the 1986 GOP Senate primary over Jim Broyhill; given Flaherty's ties to the Broyhill family, Flaherty refused. How the Club threatened to undermine Broyhill's prospects in the general election after Broyhill prevailed in primary. 418 His conviction as NC GOP chair that Republican success depended in developing a full slate of strong local GOP candidates, whose races would bring supporters to the polls and who would, in turn, vote for other Republicans on the ballot. 450 Sketch of the NC GOP's relative health as a party organization ca. 1985, at the close of his tenure as chair; how both the Party and the Club benefitted from the bargain Flaherty struck with the Club for those years. 465 How the Club's desire to control the Party in many respects, however, resulted in numerous tensions. Interview number A-0419 in the Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) at The Southern Historical Collection, The Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library, UNC-Chapel Hill. Restriction: Permission of interviewee required to read, listen to, or quote from interview. "N.C. Repubhcan Party" - Tape Index, David T. Flaherty Sr. Interview, Oct. 4,1996 485 Sketch of his work, day to day, as party chair; raising money, visiting all corners of the state, buying a better office. Further reflections on the relationship with the Club: "they were Republicans because that's where the conservatives were, [whereas] I was a Repubhcan because that's where my heart was, totally." The Club later ran into some trouble when they contested for influence with a reinvigorated NC GOP entity, though the Club ultimately did exert considerable influence, particularly since Jack Hawke, NC GOP chair after 1977, "was absolutely under their control." 540 His view of the state's political geography in the 1970s and early 1980s; how he worked as state chair to build strong county organizations and strong and consistent GOP identity across the entire ticket, from local races to the governor's race and national races; how Jim Martin initially resisted initial Flaherty on this point, not wishing to be tied too closely to Jesse Helms, but how this effort brought excellent results in the 1984 election. 600 Reasons why "Jessecrats" came over to the GOP: after these voters came over to back Helms, the Club and the Party both saw the utility of keeping these voters in the GOP column for Congressional races.