State Sen. Fred Smith likes North Carolina barbecue.

The Republican candidate for governor is hosting a barbecue in each of the state's 100 counties because he believes "a campaign is a conversation with the people."

On Tuesday he was giving his views at Abrams Bar-B-Q where more than 100 people turned out to eat, listen and get an autographed copy of his autobiography, "A Little Extra Effort: Hard Work and Straight Talk in a Sound Bite World."

Smith, 65, has hosted barbecues during successful campaigns for the Johnston County Board of Commissioners and for the state Senate.

"Some of my friends like Western-style barbecue," he said. "Some of my friends like Eastern-style barbecue. I like my friends."

Smith practiced law for 18 years before going into business full time. His Fred Smith Co. builds houses, develops golf courses and employs 600 people, including his five children. He's also the chief executive officer of C.C. Mangum Co., a paving contractor; and a farmer in Clayton.

He thinks the state needs "new management."

"In business you break things down in a manageable section," he said. "I think every county is important, so I go to listen and get to know the people."

In Edgecombe County, for example, Smith knows only 626 of 5,721 registered Republicans voted in the last GOP primary. He would like to see that increase to 900 in May when he's on the ballot with former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr and Bill Graham, a Salisbury lawyer.

In a recent straw poll at last month's N.C. Republican Hall of Fame dinner, Smith won easily, 127 votes to Orr's 46 and Graham's 30.

Said Smith: "The governor is not a lawyer. The governor is not a judge. The governor is the leader and CEO of this state. That's what I do. That's what I've done all my life."

Immigration is the No. 1 topic on the campaign trail, Smith said and the applause during his comments Tuesday seemed to bear him out.

"We have to have a big heart for legal immigrants," he said, "and a firm hand to illegal immigrants, the rule of law.

"I'm not against immigration," he emphasized, "but I don't think taxpayers' dollars should be spent on illegals."

Smith supports training for local law enforcement officers that enables them to enforce federal immigration laws.

Smith wants to require everyone who gets a driver's license to be in the state legally and require local institutes providing benefits to enforce federal immigration law.

He said we cannot just pick and choose which laws we will obey and ignore. Last week, he wrote N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper seeking clarification regarding the legal standing of admitting illegal aliens to state community colleges.

"In my view the colleges have no authority to issue such a directive and are placing themselves above the law and therefore are violating federal and state law," Smith said.

He said roads were a big issue, "really, really important to people."

Smith said North Carolina used to be known for its good roads but now "we have some of the worst in the nation."

A recent study found the DOT "inefficient, ineffective and unfocused." If elected, Smith said he would work to change the culture at the Department of Transportation.

"The Department of Transportation is the poster child of what's wrong in Raleigh," Smith said.

Smith is against the annual transfer of $172 million from the Highway Trust Fund into the general fund. He said he would tighten the state government budget by three-quarters of 1 percent and use it for transportation.

The two changes should produce enough money to issue up to $4 billion in highway construction bonds to go toward some immediate needs, Smith said.

Smith would put controls on state spending by adopting a Taxpayer Protection Act, which would limit increases to growth in population plus inflation.

"I want to slow down the growth of government spending," he said.

During his remarks, Smith pointed out the need to improve schools ("the student is the customer and we need an education system that meets the student's needs"), support small business (which creates 83 percent of the jobs in the state) and entrepreneurship, provide public safety, provide affordable health care, defend traditional marriage and protect private property rights.

As a county commissioner, he said he cut a million dollars of waste from the Johnston County budget and built new schools, increased the local teacher's supplement.

"There was no property tax increase," said Smith, who was raised at a Methodist orphanage in Raleigh where his father was a teacher and coach and his mother a cottage housemother.

In the Senate, he worked to increase the punishment for breaking and entering a place of worship and got a work force zone designation between Smithfield and Clayton.

He admitted it was tough being in the opposition party in Raleigh but is convinced he can win the election.

"The Democrats have run over us for 20 years because they have had the resources," Smith said "I want the people in this state to have a good choice."

He pointed out that Democratic candidates Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore are being paid while they campaign. Each has won statewide office twice and raised millions of dollars for their respective campaigns.

Smith has said it will take $12 million.

"I'll do what it takes," he said.

Since Aug. 2, Smith has visited 65 counties at least once.

The candidate was introduced by Garland Shepheard, who made fun of the Democrats from former Speaker Jim Black to Rep. Thomas Wright, who was indicted Monday.

"This is the man," said Arena Webb, pointing to Smith's photo on a brochure.

Smith said the election should come down to voting for the Democrats who want more government and more taxes or himself, a conservative who believes the power rests with the people.

The article above by W. Terry Smith, Editor, The Daily Southerner can be found online HERE.