nc_sen_FAIRCLOTH
SEN. LAUCH FAIRCLOTH
Age: 70 Born: January 14, 1928 in Concord, North Carolina (Sampson County) Education: did not graduate from college Military: Army (1954-55) Family: Divorced, 1 daughter. Hometown: Clinton, NC Religion: Presbyterian Career: U.S. Senator (1992-present); Owner, Faircloth Farms, Coharie Mills, Coharie Farms; NC Secretary of Commerce (1977-83); Chairman, NC Highway Commission (1967-73); NC Highway Commission (1961-64); Businessman and farmer |
• Republican Sen. Lauch Faircloth was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992. Until switching to the Republican Party in 1991, Faircloth was a lifelong Democrat.
• Lauch (pronouced Lock) is short for McLauchlin.
• At 19, Faircloth had to leave college and take over his family's farm after his father suffered a debilitating stroke. Over the years, he has owned several hog farms - Sampson County is the nation's top hog-producing county. Faircloth also owns timber, cattle farming, and construction companies.
• Faircloth left the Democratic Party in 1991. He claimed, like many North Carolina conservatives, he initially registered as a Democrat because the party stood for, "fiscal responsibility and a patriotic commitment to a strong national defense."
• The 1992 U.S. Senate pitted Faircloth against his former political ally and friend and former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford. Even though the candidates are only five (5) years apart (Sanford is 75), Faircloth made age and Sanford's recent 1992 heart surgery a factor in the race. Faircloth defeated Sanford (50%-46%). Sanford was the only sitting Democratic Senator in 1992 to lose to a Republican challenger.
• The business community supports Faircloth not only for his background, but also because of his belief in fewer government regulations. He uses the same principals ued to run a successful business in working to eliminate government spending and the national debt. The American Conservative Union gave him a perfect 100 points in 1993.
• Faircloth was one of the harshest critics of the Clinton's during the House Whitewater hearings. He, in turn, was criticized for impropriety when he and Sen. Jesse Helms lunched with Judge David Sentelle, the man who headed the panel selecting independent counsels, including Ken Starr.
• Faircloth ran for governor in 1984 as a Democrat but lost the primary, ranking third in a field of ten candidates.