McCrory’s troubles

There are few sure things in politics. So it’s no sure thing that Governor McCrory will lose reelection. But it is a sure thing he’s in what Poppy Bush would call deep doo-doo.

Carter pretty well summed up what the new fundraising numbers mean: “You very seldom see a challenger outraising an incumbent when it’s a governor or senator. This is a really good sign for Roy Cooper. He’s outraising a sitting governor. I don’t know when the last time that happened.”

Cooper raised $2.2 million through June 30; McCrory, $1.3 million. Cooper has $3 million on hand; McCrory, $2.4 million.

The Governor’s bad showing caps a bad, awful, terrible, horrible couple of months that leave him looking, in one Democrat’s words, “weak, indecisive and ineffective” and, in about everybody’s estimation, vulnerable next year.

Let us count the ways:

The legislature routinely insults, ignores and overrides him.

His transportation bond issue seems stuck in the fast lane to nowhere.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley took down the Confederate flag, but McCrory can’t take it off license plates.

DOT Secretary Tony Tata says ta-ta in about as abrupt and mysterious a way as possible, ramping up the rumor mill and raising questions about the Governor’s hold on his own house.

(By the way, politicians should just drop the lame excuse that they’re stepping down to spend more time with their families. Nobody believes they want to spend more time with their families, or that their families want to spend more time with them. Besides, most soon do something that doesn’t involve spending more time with their families. They should come up with something more creative: “I’m in a position to get out now and make a pile of money.” Or, “It has always been my intention when I reached this point in life to seek True Enlightenment.” Or, “I’m going to hang out at the beach, drink lots of beer and work on my short game.” Or, “I’m going to hike the Appalachian Trail.” Of course, Mark Sanford gave that a bad name.)

When the fundraising numbers came out, McCrory’s people did their best to appear unconcerned, as if it was their plan all along to be behind in both polls and fundraising 15 months before the election.

But one line from Cooper’s strategist Morgan Jackson cut through the BS: “It’s clear that people are ready for a change in Raleigh.”

If that’s so, McCrory doesn’t look like he has the pitching speed to win. In fact, it looks like he suffered a grievous and perhaps irreparable blow when Jack Hawke died after getting McCrory elected in 2012.

 

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Gary Pearce

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McCrory’s troubles

There are few sure things in politics. So it’s no sure thing that Governor McCrory will lose reelection. But it is a sure thing he’s in what Poppy Bush would call deep doo-doo.

Carter pretty well summed up what the new fundraising numbers mean: “You very seldom see a challenger outraising an incumbent when it’s a governor or senator. This is a really good sign for Roy Cooper. He’s outraising a sitting governor. I don’t know when the last time that happened.”

Cooper raised $2.2 million through June 30; McCrory, $1.3 million. Cooper has $3 million on hand; McCrory, $2.4 million.

The Governor’s bad showing caps a bad, awful, terrible, horrible couple of months that leave him looking, in one Democrat’s words, “weak, indecisive and ineffective” and, in about everybody’s estimation, vulnerable next year.

Let us count the ways:

The legislature routinely insults, ignores and overrides him.

His transportation bond issue seems stuck in the fast lane to nowhere.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley took down the Confederate flag, but McCrory can’t take it off license plates.

DOT Secretary Tony Tata says ta-ta in about as abrupt and mysterious a way as possible, ramping up the rumor mill and raising questions about the Governor’s hold on his own house.

(By the way, politicians should just drop the lame excuse that they’re stepping down to spend more time with their families. Nobody believes they want to spend more time with their families, or that their families want to spend more time with them. Besides, most soon do something that doesn’t involve spending more time with their families. They should come up with something more creative: “I’m in a position to get out now and make a pile of money.” Or, “It has always been my intention when I reached this point in life to seek True Enlightenment.” Or, “I’m going to hang out at the beach, drink lots of beer and work on my short game.” Or, “I’m going to hike the Appalachian Trail.” Of course, Mark Sanford gave that a bad name.)

When the fundraising numbers came out, McCrory’s people did their best to appear unconcerned, as if it was their plan all along to be behind in both polls and fundraising 15 months before the election.

But one line from Cooper’s strategist Morgan Jackson cut through the BS: “It’s clear that people are ready for a change in Raleigh.”

If that’s so, McCrory doesn’t look like he has the pitching speed to win. In fact, it looks like he suffered a grievous and perhaps irreparable blow when Jack Hawke died after getting McCrory elected in 2012.

 

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Gary Pearce

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