News-Record.com

I got a call this week from Marcus Brandon, who said he will be challenging Rep. Earl Jones for the 60th District State House seat in 2010.

Now, it is early, way freaking early, for candidates to be jockeying for position in the 2010 state legislative races. (I'm pretty sure the 2010 U.S. Senate Election began for real about three weeks ago.) And I've known candidates who have declared themselves at about the same point in previous cycles but were nowhere to be found when it came time to file.

With that caveat: here is the SBOE page that has Brandon's campaign finance filings.

When I spoke with him Thursday, Brandon said that he has been a political consultant and worked on the presidential campaign of Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich. And in fact, from what I can find, that seems to be the case.

And it looks like there is at least a web page for KMB Consulting listing Brandon as the President. It has a Washington, D.C. Address.

Brandon's campaign finance and voter file lists 808 Glendale Drive in Greensboro as his North Carolina address and show him voting in the 2008 election.

Brandon, 34, a Democrat, said he was born and raised in Guilford County and a graduate of Southern Guilford High School and NCA&T.

Of Rep. Jones: "He's a friend of my family's and they've known him for years. I just think it's time for us to move forward." Brandon mentioned Jones' video poker stance: "I would be more inclined to put money into people's pockets."

Is he sure he's running: "I'm 100 percent sure, I'm raising money right now." Brandon said he was starting early on organizing because it would take work to unseat a four-term incumbent.

More: "Basically, our platform is green jobs."

His uncle, Brandon said, is a Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor in Guilford County.