North Carolina – Democrats
The Edwards Case
The News & Observer ran a story headlined “Trump case recalls John Edwards’ scandal in NC.” Edwards’s prosecutor was a Republican, then-US Attorney George Holding. Holding later resigned to run for Congress, was elected and served four terms. In 2012, Politico reported, “Holding conceded that the facts in Edwards’s case—payments made by political backers to…
Read MoreNick
The Galifianakis most North Carolinians know today is actor-comedian Zach. For politicos of a certain age, Galifianakis is Nick, Zach’s uncle and a former congressman from Durham who lost a Senate race to Jesse Helms in 1972. Nick died this week, at age 94. Rob Christensen, long-time political reporter for The News & Observer, wrote…
Read MoreA Better Road
It used to be when we had a primary here in North Carolina and no candidate won 50% of the vote there was a runoff between the top 2 candidates. Politicians frowned on runoffs, changed the rule: If a candidate got 40% of the vote, and led, he won. Then politicians changed the rule again:…
Read MoreJeff Jackson’s Bank Shot
Congressman Jeff Jackson is the best political communicator in North Carolina. His social media posts yesterday on the banking situation are a master class in explaining volatile, complex issues in simple, plain-spoken terms. Last night, I saw that his video had been viewed over one million times. I’m a print guy, so I read his…
Read MoreCooper’s Big Win
State Senator Phil Berger and Speaker Tim Moore took a beaming star turn before the cameras when they announced their agreement on expanding Medicaid. They pointedly excluded Governor Roy Cooper. But make no mistake: This is Cooper’s victory. It is a signal accomplishment of his administration. It means 600,000 North Carolinians will get better health…
Read MoreDon’t Give Up
A Democratic legislator said something that struck me: “Feeling helpless is Democrats’ biggest problem in North Carolina.” Many Democrats are depressed and discouraged, or angry and frustrated, by 2022 – losing the US Senate and Supreme Court races and seeing Republicans get a near-supermajority in the legislature. Those feelings fueled the state party upheaval last…
Read MoreThe Goodwin House Gets a Shakeup
If Anderson Clayton can infuse North Carolina Democrats with the energy, optimism and aggressiveness of her insurgent campaign for state party chair, 2024 can be a good year. The first vice chair, former state Sen. Floyd McKissick, also was ousted, by Jonah Garson. Kimberly Hardy defeated incumbent second vice chair Matt Hughes. Garson and Hardy…
Read MoreCan Democrats Go Country?
As North Carolina Democrats elect a state chair this weekend, three divides emerge: young/old, rural/Raleigh and grassroots/headquarters. Two contrasting candidates are 73-year-old incumbent chair Bobbie Richardson, who defends the party’s 2022 performance, and 25-year-old Anderson Clayton (pictured), who says the party should do more at the grassroots and in rural areas. One young Democrat texted…
Read MoreDavid Price Made Politics Work
If you want to know politics at its best, study David Price. He was showered with well-earned praise when he retired from Congress earlier this month. But too few people fully appreciate what a force for good Price has been for so long – for the Triangle, for North Carolina, for the Democratic Party and,…
Read MoreHistory Repeating Itself
Throwing his hat in the ring Josh Stein’s off and running for Governor; I got a surprise that day I met him years ago: Sitting on opposite sides of a table disagreeing, we argued – the surprise I got was his old-fashioned, soft-spoken, courtesy. I met Stein’s Republican opponent a decade later – Mark Robinson…
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