Lee Reflects on Political Past, Future

And although Sen. Howard Lee, D-Orange, did not appear on the general election ballot for the first time in more than a decade, he says he'll continue fighting for North Carolina.

For now, Lee says he is deciding where he will go from here -- or if he ever will run for political office again.

Lee -- a politician in Chapel Hill, Orange County and the state for more than 33 years -- made history in 1969 when he became the first black mayor of a predominantly white town south of the Mason-Dixon line.

But his seventh and most recent bid for the N.C. Senate ended when he was defeated by Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, in the Sept. 10 primary election.

The 68-year-old statesman said he is considering taking a position with the Hunt Institute, an organization started by former Gov. Jim Hunt that will focus on giving legislators a better understanding of educational policy at the state level.

Lee said he has thought about becoming a lobbyist for the UNC system but likely won't pursue that option. "I'm not sure if I just want to be a mouthpiece," he said. "I think I'm more a person that wants to get up and wrap his arms around an issue."

Lee also said he has not ruled out another run for the N.C. Senate. "I'm keeping all of my options open."

But Lee said his most memorable years didn't come from his nearly decade-long span as senator, where he rose to the position of Senate Appropriations Committee chairman, making him one of the legislature's most powerful members. They came when he was mayor of Chapel Hill.

"Being elected mayor of Chapel Hill is the highlight of what I've achieved in life merely because I never thought I could achieve it," he said. In that office, he was the driving force behind many firsts, including the town's bus system and a permanent mayor's office.

Elected at the height of the civil rights movement, Lee said he dealt with tensions from both black and white citizens -- his family received death threats because they lived on the white side of town, while his children were teased for having a father who was a part of "the establishment."

But Lee said his popularity increased as the years went by. He made an unsuccessful attempt for a U.S. Congress seat in 1972 and served in a series of statewide appointed positions.

"(The mayoral election) basically launched my political career -- or my political journey, as I like to call it," Lee said. He decided to extend that journey in 1990 with a run for the N.C. Senate, spending five terms there.

Kinnaird, who was Lee's ally in the Senate, said she and her partner had different means of achieving their goals but that it was good to have a partner.

"He was effective in working with the leadership, and we were certainly glad to have someone in that position," she said.

But Lee said he always faced obstacles -- some of which came from preconceptions about his ideology. "Automatically one is presumed to be a liberal if one comes out of Chapel Hill. I've never tried to portray myself as a liberal."

Lee said he also faced opposition from more tangible sources. In his most recent bid for Senate, he was publicly criticized by the State Employees Association of North Carolina, which mailed a flier against Lee to Orange County voters.

"Not only did he vote on a budget, but he helped write a budget and spoke favorably on the Senate floor for a budget that wasn't favorable to North Carolina workers," said Dana Cope, executive director of the SEANC.

But many of Lee's colleagues say he leaves the Senate held in high esteem. Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, who knew Lee for more than 30 years, said Lee "has always been a friend of great strength and intelligence."

But Rand said defeats like Lee's often occur in politics, where close relationships with constituents can be difficult to maintain for legislators in powerful positions.

Kinnaird said she was not joyful when she defeated Lee in the primary."We went from the best deal possible, which was running without opposition, to running against each other, which is the worst nightmare we could ever have."

But Rand said that although he won't see Lee on the Senate floor next year, he doesn't think the former senator will get the political itch out of his system. "All of us (legislators) are concerned with the way things work," he said. "I've always said that the way you get politics out of your blood is with embalming fluid. I'm sure he'll continue to be involved."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.