Senate Finally Passes Lottery: Gets through chamber when two Republicans fail to show

By Paul Chesser
John Locke Foundation

RALEIGH — Senate debate over a state-run lottery yesterday was marred as much by contention over procedural issues as it was over the game itself.

The chamber barely passed a measure that will institute a lottery in North Carolina after many years of holding out, while neighboring states had gradually adopted their own games. The majority of Democrats who wanted it were only able to win approval because two Republicans opposed to the lottery were absent: Sen. Harry Brown of Jacksonville and Sen. John Garwood of North Wilkesboro.