Republican challenger Tom Murry appears to have knocked off Democratic state Rep. Chris Heagarty in House District 41, giving a boost to the GOP battle to gain control of the state legislature.

Murry leads Heagarty with 54 percent of the vote, with 92 percent of the precincts reporting in the northwestern Wake County district.

Heagarty, an attorney and former director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, was appointed to the legislature last year after Ty Harrell resigned. Heagarty argued that he’d protect disadvantaged North Carolinians, working families and children as the legislature starts to trim away at the budget.

Murry said he’d cut spending and taxes. He is a Morrisville town council member, attorney and pharmacist.

Conservative businessman Art Pope targeted District 41 as one of the races to help win Republican control of the legislature. Groups affiliated with Pope sent multiple mailers to voters attacking Heagarty.

Raleigh, NC. – The NC Chamber Political Action Committee (PAC) has endorsed Tom Murry in his bid for election to the State House. The NC Chamber PAC is the political arm of the North Carolina Chamber, North Carolina’s leading statewide business advocacy organization.

“Tom Murry’s experience and knowledge of key issues tied to economic recovery and job retention and creation is what North Carolina needs at a critical time for our state,” said Lew Ebert, NC Chamber President and CEO and member of the Chamber’s PAC Board. “At a time of record-high unemployment, families and small businesses are struggling to stay afloat. The NC Chamber PAC’s endorsement tells voters that Tom Murry understands what it takes to create and keep good jobs and get our economy growing again.”

According to Ebert, the 2010 election is critical because of how hard North Carolina has been hit by the global recession. “As North Carolina employers struggle to survive this sluggish economy, the importance of the upcoming elections has never been greater,” Ebert said. “It is imperative that voters elect qualified, business-minded legislators like Tom Murry to the North Carolina General Assembly.”

Tom Murry currently serves as a council member in Morrisville where he represents Morrisville on the Triangle Council of Governments. He is also a member of Morrisville’s Community Emergency Response Team. Tom Murry’s commitment to the community has been recognized by the NFIB and Retail Merchants who have also endorsed him. Along with serving his community, Tom Murry is a pharmacist and attorney who leads a national non-profit organization committed to patient safety. Tom and his wife Tamara are the proud parents of two daughters, Ella and Gretchen. To find out more information about Tom Murry and his campaign, visit his website www.votemurry.org . You can also contact Tom Murry personally via email at info@votemurry.org with any questions.

Raleigh, NC- Two of North Carolina’s largest business groups have endorsed challenger Tom Murry for NC House District 41.

NFIB is the nation’s leading small business and independent business association and gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping policy issues that affect their business.

“Tom Murry is a strong supporter of small business and free enterprise,” said Gregg Thompson, state director of NFIB/North Carolina.  “NFIB/North Carolina SAFE supports his firm belief in running government with fiscal responsibility, cutting red tape and emphasizing policies that promote job creation,” he said.

M*PAC is the Merchants Political Action Committee formed by North Carolina Retail Merchants Association (NCRMA) to offer endorsement of candidates.  NCRMA was formed in 1902 to represent the retail perspective before the North Carolina General Assembly.  Both large multi-state chains and local independent retailers comprise the more than 25,000 NCRMA member stores across the State. North Carolina Retail is an $85 billion industry and as the state’s second largest employer provides over 654,000 jobs.

M*PAC endorsements are given based on a candidates insight and concern for issues of the retail community.

“The support of these two small and medium-sized business associations validates my campaign’s message of a new direction and fresh leadership on job creation and cutting wasteful spending.  Both organizations’ memberships believe in less government, which is a position I strongly advocate.  Government needs to be out of the way of entrepreneurs so they can create jobs.  When we help entrepreneurs and small, family-owned businesses succeed, we help make North Carolina’s economy stronger,” Tom Murry said.

To find out more information about Tom Murry and his campaign, visit his website www.votemurry.org.  Voters can also contact Tom Murry personally via email at info@votemurry.org with any questions.

(Morrisville, NC)  – Yesterday, the Carolina Strategy Group released a poll showing challenger Tom Murry with a solid lead in the race for North Carolina’s 41st House District.  The independent survey found that if the election for House of Representatives were held today, 45 percent  of respondents would vote for Tom Murry, while only 35 percent would vote for Chris Heagarty — the incumbent and former lobbyist, appointed by Governor Beverly Perdue to fill the seat of Ty Harrell.  Harrell was forced to resign because of alleged campaign finance and ethics violations.

“This poll shows that our message of improving the economy, creating jobs and cutting wasteful government spending is resonating,” said Tom Murry.  ”We’ve talked to thousands of voters in the district, and it’s clear to us they have a strong desire for new direction and fresh leadership.  I stand ready to provide leadership in solving our most pressing challenges.”

When asked whether state elected leaders should cut government spending over raising taxes, 57 percent of the voters in District 41 would rather see cuts in government spending versus only 28 percent who would favor raising taxes to balance the budget.

“Our state is facing a potential $3 billion dollar deficit in 2011, and we have to make some critical decisions about and reining in future deficits,” remarked Murry.  ”The choice for voters is obvious:  we can continue down the path the current leadership has taken us, or we can move in a new direction, repair our economy, get people back to work and stop the runaway train of wasteful government spending.  I look forward to making this choice clear to the voters of District 41 all the way to Election Day.”

The survey of 300 North Carolina voters living in NC House District41 was conducted on August 10, 2010 through an automated phone system with a margin of error of 5.77 percent.

Raleigh, NC- Tom Murry, candidate for State House, District 41 will address students at the Wingate University School of Pharmacy White Coat Ceremony on Friday.

Held on Wingate University’s campus, the event serves “to ‘induct’ beginning pharmacy students into the profession of pharmacy as student pharmacists,” according to Dr. Carolyn Ford, Professor and Assistant Dean of Students at Wingate University School of Pharmacy.

Tom Murry will speak to the students about his personal experiences and provide advice as they make the transition from student pharmacist into their professional career.  The students will also be presented with their official white pharmacy coat.

“I am honored to have been asked to speak to the pharmacy students of Wingate.  The receiving of your first white coat and making the transition into the professional world is exciting and terrifying.  I am humbled to be able to provide my life experience and advice to these young professionals,” Tom Murry said.

About Tom:

Tom Murry is a licensed, registered pharmacist and is the Executive Director of the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board.  He is also a candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 41.  To learn more about Tom Murry and his campaign, visit www.VoteMurry.org.  You can also contact Tom Murry personally via email at info@votemurry.org with any questions.

INDEPENDENT WEEKLY

Until four years ago, this Northwest Wake County district was represented by the ultimate in conservative Republicans, Wake Taxpayers Association President Russell Capps. Then Capps lost to Democrat Ty Harrell, who was re-elected in 2008. Then Harrell started spending campaign funds on things he shouldn’t have, and, long story short, Harrell’s out and the seat’s back in play.

Three Republicans filed for the chance to win it back from Democrat Chris Heagarty, who replaced Harrell and is running unopposed for his party’s nomination. Two of the three Republicans are running active campaigns; we can’t find any evidence that the third one is. Between the two, we think Republicans should pick Tom Murry, a pharmacist with a law degree and a two-term member of the Morrisville Town Council.

……..

Mainly, we think Murry’s the better choice because he’s “local”—a local pharmacist, local council member—as opposed to Todd Batchelor, who strikes us as more of a “state” Republican, or perhaps the better word is professional Republican.

Read Entire Article Here.

CAROLINA JOURNAL ONLINE | by: David N. Bass

Excerpt: Seasoned campaigner Todd Batchelor and pharmacist Tom Murry have emerged as the frontrunners. Both candidates oppose the Obama administration’s health care overhaul, advocate lower taxes, and are conservative on abortion and family values issues.

Wine wholesaler and political newcomer David Sloane is the third wheel of the race. He supports a return to limited government principles and hopes to demonstrate his independence by not seeking endorsements from party regulars.

Economy, health care dominate

For all three candidates, stimulating jobs and reversing government intervention in health care are top priorities.
Read Entire Article Here.

CARY NEWS | by: Jordan Cooke

Excerpt: Councilman Tom Murry said he initiated the idea for this year’s theme after reviewing a study released last summer by the John Locke Foundation’s N.C. Transparency initiative.

Although the report gave the town one of the better grades among towns in southwest Wake – Morrisville got a B – Murry said things could always be better.

“It’s something you can always improve upon,” he said.
Read the rest of this entry »

MORRISVILLE, NC (March 12, 2010) – Apex Mayor pro-tem Bryan Gossage today announced his support for Morrisville Councilman Tom Murry’s campaign for State House in District 41.

Gossage, 35, was the 2008 Republican nominee in District 41 against then-Rep. Ty Harrell (D-Raleigh). That race, in which Gossage raised nearly $115,000, ended up as one of the closest in the state in a year that heavily favored Democrats.

Harrell resigned his seat in 2009 after the State Board of Elections and House Ethics Committee launched separate investigation into his campaign finances. Wake County Democrats then appointed former lobbyist Chris Heagarty to take Harrell’s place. Read the rest of this entry »