Rest in Peace

Jim Hunt passed away last Thursday. He was 88. We prayed to the same God but in the world of politics, on opposite sides, marched to different drummers. Fights often turned brutal. But at the same time, back then, foes treated each other with mutual respect, as fellow Americans.

The first time Jim Hunt ran for office – in 1972 – he was 35 years old. That election was a shock for Democrats. Nixon won, Jesse Helms won, Jim Holshouser won – Republicans swept elections. Nothing like that had happened to Democrats here in North Carolina since the 19^th century.

Jim Hunt won his race for Lt. Governor – the best any Democrat did. Rolling up his sleeves went to work rebuilding his shattered party piece by piece.

Four years later, running for governor he crushed his Republican opponent – riding his coattails Democrats won every statewide election.

Four more years passed – Democrats got another shock: Reagan rolled to victory, a Republican upended Democrats’ incumbent U.S. Senator – but Jim Hunt won again by a landslide.

In 1984, when Jesse Helms and Jim Hunt ran against each other for Senate, it was brutal. Relentless. For two years we pounded Hunt, he hammered back – no truce offered. Just before the election, standing on the back of the stage after their last debate, I watched Jesse talking with a cluster of reporters; suddenly, the crowd shifted, I found myself face to face with Jim Hunt – after a moments awkward silence, he held out his hand, laughed, Well, at least no one can say we sat it out in ivory towers.

Lauch Faircloth was Hunt’s Secretary of Commerce, after changing parties ran for Senate as a Republican in 1992 – the same year Hunt was elected governor the third time.

After the election at a dinner in a room packed with people, I watched Hunt making a speech – he started out by congratulating Lauch then saw me sitting next to Lauch and added wryly, politely but with a touch of irony, I want to thank you for electing my Secretary of Commerce to the Senate.

The crowd laughed.

No one else served as governor for 16 years – Jim Hunt was unique. But looking back what I remember were two old-fashioned virtues – his politeness and humor. That lifted him above politics. May he rest in peace

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