WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Former Corning Cable Systems president and CEO Sandy Lyons formerly entered the race for the U.S. House seat of retiring North Carolina Republican Cass Ballenger.
"Our region of the state is making national headlines because of record unemployment," Lyons said in a news release. "We need to focus our efforts on protecting our jobs while building a stronger infrastructure to attract better economic opportunities for our citizens," Lyons said.
Lyons joins Carolina Mills President George Moretz and state Rep. Patrick McHenry in the race for the GOP nomination.
Already in the race for the Democrats is Caldwell County resident John Cole, who is described in press accounts as "an ex-hospital supervisor."
The district, North Carolina's 10th, is considered heavily Republican. It went for George W. Bush over Al Gore in the 2000 presidential contest by 70,000 votes. Ballenger easily won re-election the last time with 59 percent of the more than 230,000 votes cast.
