Thursday, May 31, 2012

Insurance Commissioner Goodwin Signs Onto $40 Million Settlement: Individuals, Families, Businesses and Public Schools to Benefit

Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has entered into a $40 Million settlement with a group of MetLife insurance companies. North Carolinians will receive approximately $1 Million in the interstate settlement that may eventually be valued at $400 Million for consumers.
"This decision is further evidence of my strong support for consumers, whether they be individuals, families or small businesses," said North Carolina's Commissioner Goodwin.

He also stated:
“MetLife has agreed to improve its business practices in ways that enhance consumer protection and may benefit North Carolinians,” said State Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin “And, as a result of this settlement, many life insurance beneficiaries may receive the benefits they’re owed.”
Benefitting from this decision will also be the public schools of North Carolina.

Goodwin is seeking re-election this year, and points out that over the course of his term he has saved consumers more than $1.3 Billion. "My November opponent, a perennial candidate, is closely aligned with the insurance industry, which makes me wonder where he'd stand on this," he added.

To learn more about the MetLife settlement, go to this link here or to this additional link.

And with it being an election year, you can follow Goodwin on Twitter, @WayneGoodwinNC, or via www.waynegoodwin.org over the coming months.


Saturday, May 19, 2012

Goodwin Gains More Momentum, Continues to Outpace Opponents at Critical Time

Recently filed campaign reports with the North Carolina Board of Elections are quite clear: Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has tremendous momentum and organization in his 2012 re-election bid.

Goodwin’s campaign has raised $452,164 from over 1,660 contributors and presently has $272,542 cash-on-hand as of April 23. And, his campaign has no debt. Supporters flock to events of his in every corner of North Carolina. And he’s in the newspaper or other media most days.

On the other hand, his top two opponents are nowhere close to that level of financial or organizational support.

The top Republican vote-getter on May 8th and Republican opponent to Goodwin had raised $52,000 by the April 23rd report, but that came from only two contributors (he and his spouse) and 97% of that was a personal loan from that opposing candidate -- and, by the way, a loan for which that candidate is charging his own campaign 5% percent interest. That opposition candidate also has an outstanding campaign debt of $162,500, mostly from failed campaigns of his in 2006, 2008 and 2010. That is Richard Morgan. He had $10,436.83 cash-on-hand as of April 23rd.

The second-place vote-getter on May 8th had raised approximately $14,000 by that report, and, unlike Morgan, his financial contributors were 214 in number. Mike Causey, who has now requested a run-off election between him and Morgan for July 17, had $4,241 cash-on-hand as of April 23rd, two weeks before that May primary.

Reflecting on the contrasts between his campaign and that of his opponents, incumbent Insurance Commissioner Goodwin said:
“I am humbled by the personal and financial support I’ve been shown so early in the election cycle. Folks who know me know that I am out working for citizens every day, and it’s energizing that such a deep, diverse, bipartisan pool of North Carolinians and friends want me to continue doing this job.”
His contributors are quite bipartisan and reflect a broad-based level of support. Funds raised by the Goodwin campaign are - by all known indications - the most gathered at this stage of an Insurance Commissioner campaign in North Carolina.

It is also interesting to note that Morgan and Causey have run and lost four previous campaigns for the same office of Insurance Commissioner between them over the last 28 years. And when you count the current election, Goodwin's two GOP opponents will have run six times for this office!

While his potential, perennial General Election Republican opponents continue to be hyper-partisan, Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin stresses how he, his job and his Team are all bipartisan in outreach and support, non-political in its work, and solely focused on doing what’s right and what’s expected of a popularly-elected state insurance commissioner.

And if his fundraising and organization are any indication, Goodwin’s re-election campaign has major momentum heading into the General Election while his opponents spend the next two months running against each other as they await the July run-off election.

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Source: All information above is publicly available at http://www.app.sboe.state.nc.us/webapps/cf_rpt_search_org/

To stay up-to-date on the Goodwin campaign, follow it on Twitter @WayneGoodwinNC or become a Facebook friend by liking this link here.