North Carolina – Republicans – Page 100

McGovern, Helms and Hunt

By Gary Pearce | October 26, 2012 |

For an epic election loser, George McGovern had a big impact on North Carolina politics. Like Jesse Helms and Jim Hunt. If not for McGovern’s landslide loss to Richard Nixon in 1972, North Carolina never would have had a Senator Helms. The Nixon tide swept Helms into Washington. It also brought a Republican, Jim…

Pretty is as Pretty Does

By Carter Wrenn | October 25, 2012 |

I’d just finished breakfast and opened the newspaper when a dyed-in-the-wool yellow dog Democrat crossed the restaurant, sat down across the table and said, ‘That new ad of Paul Newby’s makes him look like a fool.’ He was talking about the Newby Super PAC ad – which has hound dogs braying in hot pursuit…

Goldman’s Sacks

By Gary Pearce | October 25, 2012 |

Debra Goldman seems to be an equal-opportunity 911 caller. She apparently has called the police now about two fellow board members. This on top of dozens of calls to her Cary home in recent years. If she gets elected State Auditor, the police may need to build a substation at her office. No wonder…

No Contrition in Sight Anywhere

By Carter Wrenn | October 24, 2012 |

The election in North Carolina has moved from old fashioned elbow-throwing into a more interesting topic – sex. When she lived in Pennsylvania Debra Goldman was a volunteer firefighter – then she moved to Raleigh, ran for School Board, won in the Republican sweep in 2009 and now she’s running for State Auditor. …

Third Graders

By Carter Wrenn | October 23, 2012 |

It made all the newspapers: Last week Mitt Romney announced he’s pulling staffers out of North Carolina, where he now has a lead, to send them to Ohio where the race is closer. It was perfectly rational. Romney has a little breathing room in North Carolina so he’s moving few people to another state he…

McCrory’s Scandal Response

By Gary Pearce | October 23, 2012 |

If Pat McCrory is elected governor, he better get better at handling scandals. And he better hope that Debra Goldman and Chris Malone don’t get elected. McCrory’s statement yesterday started right. His spokesman said he would reserve judgment on the “convoluted situation.” He should have stopped there. But the spokesman went a bridge…

School Board Not Boring

By Gary Pearce | October 22, 2012 |

All this time we thought firing the Wake schools superintendent was a juicy story. Who knew? As the N&O’s Keung Hui wrote on his blog yesterday: “It’s not every day that one elected official accuses another of potentially committing a felony and then both tell police about their relationship.” Especially when both are…

McCrory Tax Plan ‘DOA’?

By Gary Pearce | October 18, 2012 |

Front-running Pat McCrory may be doing the smart thing politically, but may also be planting land mines for a Governor McCrory. Mark Binker of WRAL bore in with a story about Tuesday night’s debate that said: “McCrory didn’t describe how he would offset the tax cuts he proposes.” Binker reported this exchange: …

Odd Facts

By Carter Wrenn | October 15, 2012 |

The Associated Press reported a pair of odd facts the other day. In a headline the AP reported, “Obama using voter registration to stay close in NC” – then told how President Obama’s massive voter registration drive is helping him win North Carolina – by registering 250,000 new Obama voters. So far, that…

Jim Hunt Redux

By Gary Pearce | October 10, 2012 |

Governor Hunt, my old boss, is like a veteran rock band that still rocks. He may be 75, but he’s still on his game. Even Pat McCrory is cozying up to him. Hunt gave a well-received speech at the Democratic Convention. Unlike a lot of speakers, he didn’t promote himself. He’s beyond needing…