Scott Stone sets sight on Charlotte mayor again
Scott Stone does not lack confidence.
Rather than run for a City Council seat in his district, Stone, a Republican, four years ago set his sights on becoming mayor – and facing off against Anthony Foxx, one of the state’s most prominent Democrats. Stone lost by a wide margin.
This year, he is running for mayor again.
To make it to the general election in November, Stone must first beat former City Council member Edwin Peacock in the Sept. 15 Republican primary.
Stone, who is president of a civil engineering firm, is trying to separate himself from the more experienced Peacock by touting his conservative credentials.
“There is definitely a difference,” Stone said. “I am a conservative. If you look at when Edwin ran for Congress, he ran as a moderate.”
Stone has criticized Democratic mayoral candidate Jennifer Roberts over her support of Planned Parenthood during the controversy over the group’s sale of fetal tissue. He has also said he would vote against all parts of the city’s proposed non-discrimination ordinance for gay, lesbian and transgender people.
Both Peacock and Stone have signaled that Patrick Cannon’s arrest last year will be a part of their campaign against whichever Democrat advances to the general election.
“Restoring trust will be a key element,” Stone said. “It’s not just restoring trust from Patrick Cannon. It’s the underlying issues we are facing with a lack of transparency.”
Restoring trust will be a key element. It’s not just restoring trust from Patrick Cannon. It’s the underlying issues we are facing with a lack of transparency.
Scott Stone
He singled out the streetcar as a a project that should be stopped.
Stone also said the mayor should use the bully pulpit to encourage Mecklenburg County to streamline the permitting process for new construction. Steve Harrison
Scott Stone
Age: 47
Hometown: Born in upstate New York; lived in Charlotte for 16 years
Family: Wife, two daughters in high school at Ardrey Kell
Education: Clarkson University, degree in civil and environmental engineering. MBA from Marymount University.
Occupation: President of American Engineering, a regional firm with Charlotte headquarters.
Politics: Hasn’t held elected office. Charlotte mayoral candidate 2011; ran in 1996 for Arlington County (Va.) board.
Community service: Founder North Carolina Heroes Fund. Past chair of city of Charlotte business advisory committee.
Worth knowing: Attended the USA-USSR Olympic hockey game at Lake Placid in 1980.
Meet the candidates in Charlotte’s mayoral primary
Read profiles of other candidates vying to be Charlotte’s next mayor in the Sept. 15 primary.
Democrats
▪ Michael Barnes runs as spending watchdog
▪ Dan Clodfelter settles in, seeks to keep seat
▪ David Howard runs on service to city
▪ Jennifer Roberts runs hard to return to office
▪ Roderick Davis, DeJawon Joseph round out Democratic field
Republicans
This story was originally published August 15, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Scott Stone sets sight on Charlotte mayor again."