New Candidate Emerges For NCUA BoardSeat

WASHINGTON - (02/10/05) -- A new name has come to the fore forthe vacant seat on the three-member NCUA Board seat. That is formerNorth Carolina State Sen. and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidatePatrick Ballantine. Republican Ballantine, who lost thegubernatorial race last year to Democrat Mike Easley, has thesupport of the North Carolina CU League, which has the ear ofSenate Banking Committee member Elizabeth Dole. But there's stillno sign when the White House might nominate a candidate for theNCUA seat, which has been vacant since Dennis Dollar departed inApril 2004. It's almost certain that the seat will go to aRepublican to tip the scale on the current board, which nowconsists of Republican Chair JoAnn Johnson and Democrat DebbieMatz.