George M. Holmes
Encyclopedia
George Milton Holmes was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly
representing the state's 92nd House
district, including constituents in eastern Surry
, northern Iredell
and Yadkin
counties. A retiree from Hamptonville, North Carolina
, Holmes began serving his sixteenth term in January 2007. He was one of the longest serving North Carolina legislators. He died on December 31, 2009 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
.
, was a 1954 graduate of Appalachian State University
. At Appalachian, he received a football
scholarship
. Holmes married Barbara Ireland, the daughter of William Nelson Ireland, who was also a state legislator in the 1950s.
He taught at West Yadkin High School from 1954–1956, coaching football
, baseball
and basketball
. In 1956, he joined W. N. Ireland Insurance Company in Yadkinville, North Carolina
. He later became president and co-owner.
backlash against Republicans in 1976. He was the minority whip from 1981–1982 and minority party joint caucus leader from 1983-84. When Republicans took over the state House in 1995, Holmes gained considerable power as the co-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee from 1995-98.
In 2003, Holmes, the senior Republican, was a candidate for speaker of the state House
. Holmes was a compromise candidate after five Republicans refused to support Rep. Leo Daughtry. Republican Rep. Richard T. Morgan
ended Holmes' bid when he and his allies orchestrated a power-sharing deal with Democrat Jim Black
.
The George M. Holmes Convocation Center, an 8,325 seat arena in Boone, North Carolina
, is named for Holmes, who was instrumental in bringing in state funds for the project.
Holmes was popular in his district, which is overwhelmingly Republican. He ran unopposed in the 2006 and 2004 elections, and had a Libertarian
challenger in 2002.
account. The last payment from the account was four days before a new law limiting personal use of campaign money took effect.
Holmes defended the transfer, saying what he did was within the law.
"Through 32 years of serving in the General Assembly
, I accumulated more than I had to spend for my campaign," Holmes told the Winston-Salem Journal. "I see nothing wrong with a person who has accumulated excess funds through the years using that money because it was given with no strings attached."
of the legislature, Holmes was a member of these committees: Appropriations, Aging, Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform, Financial Institutions, Judiciary, Public Utilities, and University Board of Governors Nominating. He also is vice-chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.
Holmes was hospitalized in March 2007 for pneumonia and to receive some treatment for his heart. He was back at his desk by March 26, 2007.
In 2008, Holmes cited his health when he declined to run for a 17th term.
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
representing the state's 92nd House
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
district, including constituents in eastern Surry
Surry County, North Carolina
Surry County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 73,673. Its county seat is Dobson.- History :The county was formed in 1771 from Rowan County...
, northern Iredell
Iredell County, North Carolina
Iredell County, along with Moore County in the eastern Piedmont, are among a very few counties in the United States sharing borders with nine adjacent counties.-Demographics:...
and Yadkin
Yadkin County, North Carolina
- Cities and towns :*Boonville*East Bend*Jonesville*Yadkinville-Towns of the past:These towns were incorporated at one time:*Arlington, merged with Jonesville in 2001.*Hamptonville, chartered in 1818.*Huntsville, incorporated in 1792....
counties. A retiree from Hamptonville, North Carolina
Hamptonville, North Carolina
Hamptonville is an unincorporated community located in southwestern Yadkin County, North Carolina, United States. Hamptonville is named for Henry Hampton , a colonel in the Revolutionary Army. Hampton set aside land for a town in 1806....
, Holmes began serving his sixteenth term in January 2007. He was one of the longest serving North Carolina legislators. He died on December 31, 2009 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
.
Early life
Holmes, a native of Mount Airy, North CarolinaMount Airy, North Carolina
Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,388.-History:Mount Airy was settled in the 1750s as a stagecoach stop on the road between Winston-Salem and Galax, Virginia. It was named for a nearby plantation...
, was a 1954 graduate of Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
. At Appalachian, he received a football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
. Holmes married Barbara Ireland, the daughter of William Nelson Ireland, who was also a state legislator in the 1950s.
He taught at West Yadkin High School from 1954–1956, coaching football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. In 1956, he joined W. N. Ireland Insurance Company in Yadkinville, North Carolina
Yadkinville, North Carolina
Yadkinville is a town in Yadkin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,818 at the 2000 census. Located in the Piedmont Triad, it is the county seat and largest city of Yadkin County.-Geography:Yadkinville is located at ....
. He later became president and co-owner.
Political life
Holmes was first elected to state office in 1974 and has only been defeated once, in the post-WatergateWatergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
backlash against Republicans in 1976. He was the minority whip from 1981–1982 and minority party joint caucus leader from 1983-84. When Republicans took over the state House in 1995, Holmes gained considerable power as the co-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee from 1995-98.
In 2003, Holmes, the senior Republican, was a candidate for speaker of the state House
Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives
The Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives is the presiding officer of one of the houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The Speaker is elected by the members of the house when they convene for their regular session in January of each odd-numbered year...
. Holmes was a compromise candidate after five Republicans refused to support Rep. Leo Daughtry. Republican Rep. Richard T. Morgan
Richard T. Morgan
Richard Timothy Morgan was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's fifty-second House district, including constituents in Moore County, for eight terms. Morgan is an insurance broker and cattle farmer from Pinehurst, North Carolina.In 2003, the House...
ended Holmes' bid when he and his allies orchestrated a power-sharing deal with Democrat Jim Black
James B. Black
Dr. James "Jim" Boyce Black is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and a former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly who represented the state's 100th House district, including constituents in Mecklenburg County...
.
The George M. Holmes Convocation Center, an 8,325 seat arena in Boone, North Carolina
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
, is named for Holmes, who was instrumental in bringing in state funds for the project.
Holmes was popular in his district, which is overwhelmingly Republican. He ran unopposed in the 2006 and 2004 elections, and had a Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
challenger in 2002.
Campaign finance questions
In December 2006, Holmes was criticized after it was reported he wrote three checks to himself totaling more than $79,000 from his campaign financeCampaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
account. The last payment from the account was four days before a new law limiting personal use of campaign money took effect.
Holmes defended the transfer, saying what he did was within the law.
"Through 32 years of serving in the General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
, I accumulated more than I had to spend for my campaign," Holmes told the Winston-Salem Journal. "I see nothing wrong with a person who has accumulated excess funds through the years using that money because it was given with no strings attached."
Recent news
In the 2007-08 sessionNorth Carolina General Assembly of 2007-2008
Members of the North Carolina General Assembly, 2007–2008 session were elected in November 2006. This legislature first convened in January 2007....
of the legislature, Holmes was a member of these committees: Appropriations, Aging, Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform, Financial Institutions, Judiciary, Public Utilities, and University Board of Governors Nominating. He also is vice-chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.
Holmes was hospitalized in March 2007 for pneumonia and to receive some treatment for his heart. He was back at his desk by March 26, 2007.
In 2008, Holmes cited his health when he declined to run for a 17th term.
Awards
- Appalachian State UniversityAppalachian State UniversityAppalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
Distinguished Alumni Award, 1995 - N.C. Senior Tarheel Legislative Award for Exemplary Leadership, 1996
- Order of the Long Leaf PineOrder of the Long Leaf PineThe Order of the Long Leaf Pine, created in 1965, is an honor that can be granted in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The Longleaf Pine is the official state tree of North Carolina. As of Dec 31, 2006, the Order has been awarded to 6,672 individuals....
, 1992 - Yadkin County Chamber of Commerce Public Service Award, 1993
- The Veterans of Foreign WarsVeterans of Foreign WarsThe Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
Exemplary Service award, 1995