BY MIKE FUHRMAN

In a world where influencers can reach millions of followers with a few keystrokes, it’s not surprising that social media has taken on a larger role in local politics. 

During the weeks leading up to the March 5 primary election in Iredell County, there was a little name-calling and some mudslinging on social media. While most candidates stayed above the fray, some of their most ardent supporters could not resist.

In my opinion, no one sunk lower or got muddier than former Statesville mayoral candidate Brian Summers, which will surprise no one who is familiar with his history of distorting the truth when it suits his political agenda.

In the days leading up to the election, Summers took to Facebook and questioned the military service and patriotism of N.C. House candidate John Gallina, demonstrating once again that there are no depths Summers will not sink to when it comes to electioneering.

In his most recent transgression, Summers inferred that Statesville Mayor Costi Kutteh is a Muslim extremist and called Gallina “Taliban Johnny” because he was “Pals” with Kutteh.   

It’s appalling that Summers would attempt to win a few votes for the candidate he supported, Rep. Jeff McNeely, by smearing the Kutteh family name. The Kuttehs have made significant contributions to our city for more than seven decades. For those who don’t know, the mayor’s father, Dr. Hanna Kutteh, was the first ob/gyn in the region, delivering more than 5,000 babies during his nearly 50-year career. Costi Kutteh is now the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history, and he previously served 16 years on city council. He and Teresa are long-time supporters of N.B. Mills Elementary School, the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedment and Fifth Street Ministries. The Kutteh family recently gave $750,000 to Mitchell Community College.

Summers, who McNeely said was not part of his official campaign team, also questioned Gallina’s military service: “What has Johnny done as President Trump said?.. Just cause you wear the uniform DON’t make you a hero,” he posted on Facebook.

That was a despicable tactic when deployed by Donald Trump in his presidential campaign against Sen. John McCain, and it remains despicable today.

Again, for those who may not know, Gallina served his country honorably after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, and suffered extensive injuries when a Humvee he was driving in Afghanistan hit an IED, destroying the armored vehicle and causing catastrophic injuries to its occupants. 

So, actually, Gallina is the very definition of a hero. He enlisted in the National Guard to serve his country, did so with honor and dignity, and was willing to sacrifice his life, which he nearly did. After beginning his long recovery (which continues today), Gallina and another local hero, the late Sgt. Dale Beatty, founded Purple Heart Homes to help combat-wounded and aging veterans live their best lives.

In the aftermath of the election, Gallina said he was “saddened by the Washington, D.C., political tactics that Mr. Summers has brought to our wholesome community.” (Summers claims to have worked in Washington for 30-plus years before returning to Statesville several years ago.) 

“While Brian Summers’ attacks were very personal toward my character and service, I do not believe that they swayed the people, or impacted the election one way or the other,” Gallina said in a statement. “The fact is, Representative McNeely won fairly and I’m proud of the race that he, too, ran.”

Now that the votes have been counted, Gallina added: “I can forgive Mr. Summers, as I know who I am, and I believe the people of Iredell County know who I am and what my service to our community, our state, and our nation has represented.”

Summers, of course, enjoys the right to free speech that John Gallina and Dale Beatty were willing to die for, regardless of how inflammatory his comments might be.

At the same time, civic-minded citizens also have the right and, I would argue, the responsibility to repudiate Summers for his brand of gutter politics. Members of both political parties should condemn Summers’ comments.

Rep. McNeely, who had Summers’ support during the campaign, defeated Gallina by a comfortable margin in the March 5 election. Afterward, he spoke about the need for the Republican Party to unite.

In an interview, McNeely did not take the opportunity to denounce Summers’ comments. He stressed that candidates cannot control what their supporters say and do. He pointed to public comments directed at him by a sitting Republican county commissioner and a former GOP Executive Committee member as examples of a “tough” campaign. Among other things, McNeely was called “a clown” and “a con artist.” His integrity was repeatedly questioned, and he was called a racist for comments he made about a fellow lawmaker on the floor of the N.C. House.

“This was a tough campaign, and a lot of people said things that were not right or true,” McNeely said in a statement. “I tried to stick to the facts and stay above the ‘fray.’ Neither I nor John Gallina have control over what the supporters of our campaigns say on social media. I respect him and his service and encourage all those in our party to come together to elect Republicans in November.”

Meanwhile, there’s little chance we’ve heard the last of Summers. Whether he seeks office himself in the future or continues to attempt to exert his influence in other local races, voters know exactly what he is willing to do — and how low he is willing to go — to garner a few votes.

Mike Fuhrman is the editor of Iredell Free News.