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North Carolina primary voters decide Hagan rival

By WTOP Staff

GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina voters are about to decide who they believe can best challenge Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan in November: a state politics insider backed by Mitt Romney or first-time candidates more aligned with the tea party and the Christian right.

Tuesday’s U.S. Senate primary will highlight the struggle for control in the Republican Party as eight candidates run for the GOP nomination in a campaign that could influence the party and the makeup of the U.S. Senate. Republicans and independents can vote in the Republican primary. Hagan was being challenged in her own party by two lesser-known opponents.

Thom Tillis, the state House speaker and leading fundraiser in the GOP primary, is hoping to avoid a mid-July runoff by securing more than 40 percent of the vote.

“I’m not the one who believes it’s certain,” Tillis said on election eve. “I believe it’s going to depend on turnout.”

His leading rivals, obstetrician and tea party favorite Greg Brannon and Baptist pastor Mark Harris, want to block Tillis from winning, either now or in the summer.

“We believe that there’s more to come,” said Harris, whose backers include former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. “There’s a strong possibility or probability of a runoff, and we’ve realized that we’ve got to keep going.”

As Harris worked with volunteers knocking on doors Monday, Tillis and Brannon tried to use their endorsements to their advantage. Tillis rolled out his written endorsement from Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, who called Tillis a “conservative” and a problem-solver in state government. “I am confident he will do the same in Washington,” Romney wrote in an email to Tillis’ supporters.

Brannon, meanwhile, benefited from a visit to Charlotte by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, another tea party favorite.

North Carolina needs “a dragon slayer, and that dragon slayer is Dr. Greg Brannon,” Paul told 250 people downtown near the NASCAR Hall of Fame, suggesting Brannon’s strong conservative beliefs would shake up the status quo in Washington. “I’m here today because Greg Brannon is a true believer and we need true believers in Congress,” Paul added.

The election-eve push was all about inspiring votes in Tuesday’s GOP primary in a state that narrowly chose President Barack Obama in 2008 and Romney four years later. Tuesday’s balloting is being hotly monitored in a year in which Republicans are six seats away from a Senate majority and determined to put electable candidates on the ballot.

Even Hagan, one of the Democrats’ most vulnerable incumbents, got involved in the Republican primary by taking a page out of her party’s political playbook. In a mailing, she hit Tillis, the fundraising leader in the GOP pack, for saying Obama’s controversial health care law is “a great idea,” even as he campaigns to repeal it. Tillis’ full quote called the law “a great idea that can’t be paid for.” Hagan voted for the Affordable Care Act.

A PAC for Senate Democrats, meanwhile, has aired a TV ad about the severance packages given to two members of Tillis’ legislative staff said to have had inappropriate personal relationships with lobbyists.

Brannon and Harris also have suggested Tillis could be unelectable in a general campaign given his political baggage. Tillis is probably the candidate for a voter “if you want an establishment … style of United States senator, someone that is going to work in the system,” Harris said.

Party leaders were hoping to settle their contest and unite as soon as possible. But it may be hard for some conservatives to join up with the ultimate GOP winner if the person isn’t to their liking, especially Tillis.

“I’m not going to vote for somebody just because the party tells me to,” said Lynn Davis, 58, a retired paralegal who attended Monday’s Brannon-Paul rally in Charlotte.

___

Associated Press writers Mitch Weiss in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Donna Cassata in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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