Dole Flip-Flops on Oil Drilling

Thu, June 26, 2008 - 1:32 PM

She was against oil drilling before she was for it.

North Carolinians could see that line in a campaign ad later this year, after Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., on Thursday dropped her longstanding opposition to oil drilling off the state's coast.

Dole faces a tough re-election bid this year. Rising gas prices have become one of the biggest issue in national campaigns this year.

Dole’s Democratic opponent in the race, Kay Hagan, opposes lifting a federal moratorium on offshore drilling. In shifting her position, Dole seems to be calculating that the move will bring her more goodwill from voters’ concerned about high energy prices than it will hurt her with voters who care about environmental issues or those who will see her as a flip-flopper.

"Now, more than ever, responsible and practical steps are needed to increase our energy independence and strengthen economic and national security," Dole said of the switch, according to a statement to the Associated Press.

Fellow North Carolina Republican, Rep. Virginia Foxx, a supporter of drilling far off the state’s coastline, said she understood the move.

“I can understand people changing positions right now. We’re in a very different situation than we’ve been in historically. The price of gasoline is doing great damage to hardworking Americans. She’s responding to changing conditions,” Foxx said in an interview.