Harvey Godwin, right, on the campaign trail for the chairmanship of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Photo from Facebook
The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has a new leader. Voters elected newcomer Harvey Godwin, Jr., as chairman on Tuesday. He defeated incumbent Paul Brooks and three other challengers by a wide margin, according to the unofficial results. "I want to send out a heartfelt thank you to all who still believe in the core values of the Lumbee People," Godwin said on Facebook after the vote. "Your overwhelming support on Tuesday was greeted with tears of joy and was truly humbling." Godwin's election came as Sen. Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) introduced S.2285, the Lumbee Recognition Act. The bill rescinds a termination-era law that identified the Lumbees as "Indians" but denied them any benefits that would come with federal recognition. The House version of the bill is H.R.184. It was introduced in January but has not yet received a hearing. Get the Story:
Brooks beaten by a bunch (The Robesonian 11/18)
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