Editing Lauch Faircloth (section)

=== 105th Congress ===
[[File:Sen.Faircloth and Henry Shelton.jpg|thumb|230px|Faircloth and General [[Hugh Shelton]] during Shelton's nomination as [[chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]]]
In September 1997, Faircloth voted to eliminate funding for the [[National Endowment for the Arts]], although it failed with 77 Senators voting against the proposal.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-carolinas-roll-ca/137780838/ CAROLINAS ROLL CALL]. ''The Charlotte Observer''. September 21, 1997.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-senators-key-vote/137772554/ SENATOR'S KEY VOTES]. ''The News and Observer''. October 20, 1997.</ref>

In 1997, Faircloth, then-chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the District of Columbia, stripped [[Washington, D.C.]] mayor [[Marion Barry]] of his authority to deal with a large deficit, handing it to a newly established [[District of Columbia Financial Control Board]], and placing several city agencies into a receivership. The move angered Barry, who called it a "rape of democracy".<ref>{{cite news |title=DC and the Feds |publisher=National Public Radio |date=August 15, 1997 |url= https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1038794}}</ref> In response, a crowd of around 600 protesters, 400 of whom marched from D.C., surrounded Faircloth's home in protest at his decision, although he was not home.<ref>Chamberlain, Knight (August 24, 1997). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-a-protest-against/137823925/ A protest against Faircloth]. ''The News and Observer''.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/asheville-citizen-times-faircloth-draws/137918184/ Faircloth draws protests]. ''Asheville Citizen-Times''. August 24, 1997.</ref>

In April 1998, [[Henry Woods (judge)|Henry Woods]], a [[United States federal judge]] from [[Arkansas]], alleged to ''[[The Charlotte Observer]]'' that in 1995 an aide to Faircloth came to him and asked for Woods' financial disclosures. The request was granted two weeks before Woods was to rule on whether or not [[Ken Starr]] had jurisdiction to prosecute key Whitewater figures.<ref name="43wgesa">Leonnig, Carol D. (April 14, 1998). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-judge-says-faircl/138072307/ Judge says Faircloth tried intimidation]. ''The Charlotte Observer''.</ref> Woods said that he considered the request to be "a crude attempt to intimidate me", and called on the [[United States Department of Justice]] to investigate.<ref name="43wgesa"/> Around this time Faircloth sponsored an [[Housing Act of 1937#Major amendments|amendment to the Housing Act of 1937]] to put a cap on the number of public housing units that are allowed to be operated on a federal level.

Official Senate records showed that between January 1993 and June 1998, Faircloth missed 68 out of 2,122 roll-call votes.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/asheville-citizen-times-faircloth-helms/137990704/ Faircloth, Helms post poor attendance in Senate]. ''Asheville Citizen-Times''. June 28, 1998.</ref>

==== 1998 reelection campaign ==== 
{{main|1998 United States Senate election in North Carolina}}
Faircloth ran for reelection in [[1998 United States Senate election in North Carolina|1998]]. He defeated Leonard Plyler and Steve Franks in the Republican primary<ref>Patterson, Dennis (May 3, 1993). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/asheville-citizen-times-republican-chall/138071968/ Republican challengers to Faircloth face long odds]. ''Asheville Citizen-Times''.</ref> and faced political newcomer, Democrat [[John Edwards]], in the general election. In an August 1998 poll by [[Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy]], Faircloth's [[Opinion poll|approval rating]] among voters was 50 percent, with 44 percent disapproving.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-clinton-raises-ser/137921041/ Clinton raises serious money for Edwards]. ''The News and Observer''. August 2, 1998.</ref> Despite originally being the marginal favorite, Faircloth lost his seat to Edwards by a vote of 1,029,237 (51%) to 945,943 (47%). In conceding to Edwards, Faircloth admitted to his supporters, "I feel that I let you down...because we should have won."<ref>[[CNN]] (November 3, 1998) ''[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/03/election/senate/north.carolina/ Edwards unseats Faircloth in tight North Carolina race]''</ref> Afterwards, Barry said Faircloth had been "so busy picking on me and the residents of [[Washington, D.C.]] that he neglected his constituents in North Carolina. Now he can go back and deal with the pigs. Goodbye, Faircloth."<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/keyraces98/stories/faircloth110598.htm Sen. Faircloth: The Man D.C. Loved to Hate]</ref>