Tabor For Congress 2004

Former Owens Cross Roads resident seeks Republican nod

County native runs for Congress in N.C.
Huntsville Times
01/27/04
By JOHN ANDERSON
Times Staff Writer

A Madison County native wants to represent the 5th Congressional District, but not the one held by U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville.

Nathan Tabor, who grew up in Owens Cross Roads until moving to North Carolina with his family in his early teens, is seeking the Republican nomination for North Carolina's 5th District.

"My paternal grandmother (Opal Tabor) still lives in Owens Cross Roads,'' Tabor said in a phone interview last week. Tabor's paternal grandfather, now deceased, was Ferrell Tabor, a teacher and basketball coach in the Madison County school system, and his maternal grandmother, Violet Spears, farmed with her late husband, John, near Hampton Cove before moving to North Carolina.

Tabor's father, Byran, a house painter and an ordained Baptist preacher, and mother, Suzanne, graduated from New Hope High School.

Tabor, 30, is running in a district that is becoming increasingly Republican, especially in congressional and presidential races. The 5th District covers a swath of North Carolina's midsection, including Winston-Salem.

The district's five-term Republican incumbent, Richard Burr, got 70 percent of the vote in the 2002 general election. Burr is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by John Edwards, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.

Tabor, who has never run for office before, has a lot of company in the district's May 4 GOP primary. Nine other Republicans are seeking the nomination, including a state senator, a former state representative, a district court judge and a former county commissioner. Six Democrats are also running.

But Tabor said he's distinguishing himself from the rest of the GOP field by campaigning on a rock-solid socially conservative platform.

"Being a Christian I want to make sure our rights are protected,'' he said. "I'm not forcing my religion on others. But I'm seeing a scene develop around the nation where it's OK to be anything you want to be except a Christian.''
Tabor touts in his campaign literature an endorsement from the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the founder of the Moral Majority, and he bills himself as a "young Jesse Helms,'' the former U.S. senator from North Carolina known for his take-no-prisoners social conservatism.

He also supports the home-school movement, backed by many conservative Christian parents upset with what they see as the dominance of secular humanism in public schools.

In fact, Tabor said his parents moved to North Carolina 18 years ago after unsuccessfully fighting to require Alabama's public schools to teach creationism as an alternative to evolution.

"Our father wanted us in a Christian school program,'' Tabor said. "North Carolina has one of strongest Christian school programs in the nation.''

Tabor considers Winston-Salem City Councilman Vernon Robinson to be his main opponent for the district's Christian conservative vote. Robinson got national attention last month when he placed a stone copy of the Ten Commandments in front of City Hall without permission from the rest of the City Council. Tabor dismissed the move as a publicity stunt, noting that Robinson had his name inscribed on the monument.

Tabor is also emphasizing his business background in the GOP contest.
He and other relatives began selling "nutriceutical'' natural products with health benefits, such as soybeans, in April 1998 after his mother and his brother, a physician, began searching for a nonhormonal remedy to ease the effects of menopause.

"We're the largest soy company in the U.S. with 147 employees,'' Tabor said. The business is Revival Soy.

Tabor said his campaign, aided by endorsements from over 90 pastors in the district, has raised $500,000 so far. That includes $10,000 he said North Alabama contributors gave him last month at a Huntsville fund-raiser that U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, helped organize.

For more information about Nathan Tabor and his campaign, those interested are encouraged to call (336) 993-0929 or visit www.taborforcongress.com.



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Former Owens Cross Roads resident seeks Republican nod County native runs for Congress in N.C. Huntsville Times 01/27/04 By JOHN ANDERSON Times Staff Writer A Madison County native wants to represent the 5th Congressional District, but not the one held by U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville. Nathan Tabor, who grew up in Owens Cross Roads until moving to North Carolina with his family in his early teens, is seeking the Republican nomination for North Carolina's 5th District. "My paternal grandmother (Opal Tabor) still lives in Owens Cross Roads,'' Tabor said in a phone interview last week. Tabor's paternal grandfather, now deceased, was Ferrell Tabor, a teacher and basketball coach in the Madison County school system, and his maternal grandmother, Violet Spears, farmed with her late husband, John, near Hampton Cove before moving to North Carolina. Tabor's father, Byran, a house painter and an ordained Baptist preacher, and mother, Suzanne, graduated from New Hope High School. Tabor, 30, is running in a district that is becoming increasingly Republican, especially in congressional and presidential races. The 5th District covers a swath of North Carolina's midsection, including Winston-Salem. The district's five-term Republican incumbent, Richard Burr, got 70 percent of the vote in the 2002 general election. Burr is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by John Edwards, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. Tabor, who has never run for office before, has a lot of company in the district's May 4 GOP primary. Nine other Republicans are seeking the nomination, including a state senator, a former state representative, a district court judge and a former county commissioner. Six Democrats are also running. But Tabor said he's distinguishing himself from the rest of the GOP field by campaigning on a rock-solid socially conservative platform. "Being a Christian I want to make sure our rights are protected,'' he said. "I'm not forcing my religion on others. But I'm seeing a scene develop around the nation where it's OK to be anything you want to be except a Christian.'' Tabor touts in his campaign literature an endorsement from the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the founder of the Moral Majority, and he bills himself as a "young Jesse Helms,'' the former U.S. senator from North Carolina known for his take-no-prisoners social conservatism. He also supports the home-school movement, backed by many conservative Christian parents upset with what they see as the dominance of secular humanism in public schools. In fact, Tabor said his parents moved to North Carolina 18 years ago after unsuccessfully fighting to require Alabama's public schools to teach creationism as an alternative to evolution. "Our father wanted us in a Christian school program,'' Tabor said. "North Carolina has one of strongest Christian school programs in the nation.'' Tabor considers Winston-Salem City Councilman Vernon Robinson to be his main opponent for the district's Christian conservative vote. Robinson got national attention last month when he placed a stone copy of the Ten Commandments in front of City Hall without permission from the rest of the City Council. Tabor dismissed the move as a publicity stunt, noting that Robinson had his name inscribed on the monument. Tabor is also emphasizing his business background in the GOP contest. He and other relatives began selling "nutriceutical'' natural products with health benefits, such as soybeans, in April 1998 after his mother and his brother, a physician, began searching for a nonhormonal remedy to ease the effects of menopause. "We're the largest soy company in the U.S. with 147 employees,'' Tabor said. The business is Revival Soy. Tabor said his campaign, aided by endorsements from over 90 pastors in the district, has raised $500,000 so far. That includes $10,000 he said North Alabama contributors gave him last month at a Huntsville fund-raiser that U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, helped organize. For more information about Nathan Tabor and his campaign, those interested are encouraged to call (336) 993-0929 or visit www.taborforcongress.com.