North Carolina – Democrats
Politicians We Like – In the Other Party
John F. Kennedy is one of Republicans’ favorite Democrats. And John McCain is one of Democrats’ favorite Republicans. That’s what we found when we asked Democratic and Republican voters in a rural North Carolina poll to name a politician in the other party they like or respect. Two things stood out: It helps to be…
Read MoreHow Democrats Vetoed Redistricting Vetoes
The News & Observer said former Governor Roy Cooper is “to blame” for governors not having the power to veto redistricting bills. Actually, a lot of Democrats who were in the legislature in the 1990s have to share that blame. In fact, some Democrats in the state House then – including then-Speaker and now-Senator Dan…
Read MoreDemocrats’ Country Road
Rural North Carolina is unfriendly territory for Democrats, but we can gain ground there – and that will help us statewide. That’s my takeaway from a recent poll of 684 voters in 46 rural counties. By 63-27%, those voters had an unfavorable view of the party: When they hear “Democratic Party” they think about Democrats…
Read MoreA Sign of Hope
‘What did you think of those students?’ Gary asked after we spent an hour at a forum at N. C. State University. The students weren’t anything like politicians you watch on TV these days –– no one ranted, strutted; voices calm, when they disagreed, politeness held. Gary saw that as a sign of better days…
Read MoreBleeding Democrats
If the Democratic Party were a hospital patient, every monitor would be blaring emergency alarms. The party is bleeding voter registrations – nationally and in North Carolina. After the 2020 election, there were over 373,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans (2,620,162 to 2,246,540) in North Carolina. Today, there are just over 15,800 more registered Democrats…
Read MoreOddities
In the old days a political party had to win an election to keep its majority in Congress. So it rolled up its sleeves and went to work to convince people it was right. Times have changed. These days politicians roll up their sleeves and go to work on redistricting. Take a look at what’s…
Read MoreStraight Talk
A veteran Democrat who doesn’t get excited by much texted me at night: “This is solid. Democrats forgot how to talk to people like this.” He’d seen this video by Jamie Ager, who’s taking on a tough but intriguing race in the 11th Congressional District of Western North Carolina Ager delivers a direct message and…
Read MoreA Blessing
The circus is back in town. Next year’s Senate campaign’s off and rolling. And it’s like watching the rerun of an old tv show. Full of shadows, dark music, Republican’s first ad whacked Roy Cooper, called him a ‘wreck’, told people when he mismanaged a hurricane 100 people died; on social media Republicans described Cooper…
Read MoreRoy vs DC
It’s Down Home Roy versus D.C. politicians. Roy Cooper’s announcement video is how Opie Taylor of Mayberry would look and sound if he grew up to run for Senator. Cooper begins nostalgically: “It wasn’t always this hard, because being in the middle class meant something. You could afford a home. Your kids went to good…
Read MoreSitting in a Hard Place
Things are heating up here in North Carolina. Lara Trump’s out, not running for Senate. Michael Whatley’s in, with President Trump backing him. And it looks like Roy Cooper’s going to announce next week. With no real primary in either party the general election is probably going to heat up pretty quickly. Last week, in…
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