ROCKINGHAM — Heading into Tuesday’s election, N.C. Insurance Commissioner and Hamlet native Wayne Goodwin said he was “cautiously optimistic” about his chances of getting a third term.
Early voting totals showed he just might.
However, as the poll numbers began to roll in, Republican challenger Mike Causey took the lead and held on to it, earning him the position he’s had his eye on for more than 20 years.
Causey ran against longtime Commissioner of Insurance Jim Long in 1992, 1996 and 2000 and has ran against Goodwin twice.
“That was back in the days when Republicans didn’t stand a chance,” he said in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon. “It was hard to find someone to run against the Democrats statewide.”
Records with the N.C. State Board of Elections show Causey currently leads by 38,688 votes.
The Associated Press reports there are still about 50,000 provisional and absentee ballots left to be counted and election results will not be official until they are canvassed next week.
For that reason, Goodwin has not yet conceded.
“We will make a determination on how to proceed only after we assess the provisional and military ballots that are yet to be counted and related matters,” he said in a statement to the Daily Journal late Thursday.
With so many votes being unaccounted for, the potential exists for the race to flip in Goodwin’s favor.
According to state law, a mandatory recount can be called for if the difference is half of 1 percent or less than 10,000 of the total votes cast, whichever is less.
Causey credits help from “a large block of Democrats,” Republicans, Libertarians and unaffiliated voters helping in his grassroots campaign, adding it was the “silent majority” who “helped us get across the finish line.”
Causey will be the 11th commissioner since the position was created in 1899, if the results hold.
“I’m happy to be the first Republican to win that office in the history of North Carolina,” he said, adding that he had worked toward the goal of having a GOP majority in the Council of State.
Republicans won most of those seats — commissioner of labor, commissioner of agriculture, superintendent of public instruction, treasurer and lieutenant governor — however, Democratic Secretary of State Elaine Marshall kept her position, a post she’s held since being elected 20 years ago.
The race to replace Attorney General Roy Cooper, between Democrat Josh Stein and Republican Buck Newton, is only separated by 20,777 votes, with Stein currently holding the majority.
BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE
Causey worked in the insurance business for 25 years, starting with Metropolitan Life and climbed the ladder eventually becoming a superintendent managing more than 300 agencies in North and South Carolina.
Prior to that, he worked as a field engineer for a general contractor on large construction projects.
“I understand the issues with building inspections and construction,” he said, which is another area of responsibility of the commissioner.
For the past six years, Causey has served as a commissioner on the N.C. DOI’s Public Officers and Employees Liability Insurance Commission and is currently the director of the Adopt-A-Highway program through the N.C. Department of Transportation.
“It’s a fun job,” he said. “I hate to loose that one, but I look forward to leading the Department of Insurance in January.”
DEPARTMENTAL GOALS
Causey said his No. 1 goal for the department is to make it “more user friendly” and improve customer service, make it more efficient and effective and “cut the red tape as much as possible.”
In addition, the commissioner-elect said plans to fight to increase competition to give North Carolina consumers more choices and lower rates — especially when it comes to health insurance.
He said the Affordable Care Act should be referred to as the “Unaffordable Care Act.”
“It’s been a disaster for health care,” he said. “It’s killing our small businesses.”
According to Causey, the state has the fourth-highest health insurance rates for those between the ages of 40-49 and the 15th highest overall.
Goodwin told the Daily Journal on Tuesday that the state insurance commissioner has less authority when it comes to health insurance than any other line of business.
“Even though we receive the filings for Blue Cross Blue Shield and other health insurance companies, by and large, the health insurance premiums are driven by what the federal law is,” he said. The (state and federal legislatures have) the opportunity to reclaim some of its authority, while still preserving some of the consumer protections that are in the federal law. We need to get a better grip on the pricing and do all we can to promote more competition — but that’s not something that I can presently do.”
While Causey said Goodwin should accept some responsibility, he harbored no ill will toward the current commissioner and said he “enjoyed campaigning with him.”
“I wish him well, in whatever he does and thank him for his service the past eight years,” Causey said. “I hope we can all come together and do what’s better for North Carolina.”
Another aspect of being insurance commissioner is also being the State Fire Marshall.
Goodwin said Tuesday that the department has started a task force to determine why the state is seeing a drop in the number of volunteer firefighters.
“That not only puts public safety in jeopardy, but it also jeopardizes our homeowner’s insurance ratings,” he said. “Because our homeowner’s insurance rates will go up if you have weakened fire departments or no fire departments.”
Causey did not address any fire-related issues during Thursday’s interview.
Reach William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_toler.
