Carter is a Republican. Gary is a Democrat.

They met in 1984, during the epic U.S. Senate battle between Jesse Helms and Jim Hunt. Carter worked for Helms and Gary, for Hunt.

Years later, they became friends. They even worked together on some nonpolitical clients.

They enjoy talking about politics. So they started this blog in 2005.

They’re still talking. And they invite you to join the conversation.

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Carter Wrenn

Gary Pearce 2024

Gary Pearce

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The Election, a Summary

By Carter Wrenn September 8, 2018

This year, after four elections with Obama in the White House, the political world has changed. We’re in a Blue Moon election where Democrats are voting heavier than usual and where Republican voter turnout is likely to be lower than usual. Independents blame both Republicans and Democrats for the political mess in Washington and, back…

Political Ads

By Carter Wrenn September 7, 2018

This happened a long time ago but history repeats itself – and it’s repeating itself again today. Twenty-eight years ago, in 1990, Jesse Helms’ campaign ran a negative TV ad about Harvey Gantt – and the ad didn’t work. We’d taken a poll which showed voters agreed with Jesse and disagreed with Harvey Gantt on…

Two More Issues

By Carter Wrenn September 7, 2018

More people say yes than no when asked whether they’d vote for George Holding because he supported the Republican tax cuts – but not as many more as you might expect. On the other hand, when asked whether they would support Linda Coleman if they knew she wants to repeal the tax cut and raise…

Two Issues

By Carter Wrenn September 7, 2018

In George Holding’s poll, we asked voters about several issues he and Linda Coleman disagree on. For example, George Holding opposes Sanctuary Cities and here’s a video of Linda Coleman, at a Democratic forum, saying she supports Sanctuary Cities (at 27:20 into the video). It turns out voters oppose Sanctuary Cities 70% to 22%. Undecided…

Two Unique Groups of Voters

By Carter Wrenn September 6, 2018

Let’s compare two unique groups of voters. First, people who have high school degrees. African American Democrats in this group already overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump (Approve 10%, Disapprove 85%) and also overwhelmingly vote for Linda Coleman, George Holding’s Democratic opponent. Among the remaining voters with high school degrees, men approve of Trump 79% to 20%…

The Undecided Voters

By Carter Wrenn September 6, 2018

Let’s look at the Undecided Voters who’ll decide George Holding’s election against Linda Coleman. Fifteen percent of the voters are undecided. They’re Republicans 40%, Democrats 22%, and Independents 38%. When asked whether they would vote for a Republican candidate or a Democratic candidate for Congress (the Generic Ballot question), 48% vote Republican, 28% vote Democrat…

Picture of Coleman, Picture of Holding

By Carter Wrenn August 31, 2018

Linda Coleman isn’t well known – her Favorable is 18% and her Unfavorable is 16%. Some Democrats know and like her but most voters don’t know who she is or where she stands on the issues they care about. In June and July, when George Holding ran ads comparing his stand for workfare and for…

Two Super PACs: A Negative Ad and a Positive Ad

By Carter Wrenn August 31, 2018

In a fallen world the ‘negative’ (the bad thing) has great power, especially in an election where voters are choosing between two candidates they dislike. For example, six years ago, President Obama didn’t win by running ads praising Obama’s accomplishments – he defeated Romney by telling voters Romney was ‘an out-of-touch billionaire.’ And remember ‘Crooked…

Three Kinds of Elections

By Carter Wrenn August 30, 2018

Well, today, I’m back to writing about George Holding’s election – which now may or may not be in November and, may or may not be in a new district. I guess we may know sometime next week. All that said, assuming wiser (legal) heads prevail and George Holding will be running in the current…

Obama 48-Trump 39

By Gary Pearce April 26, 2026

A new nationwide poll shows that, if they could run against each other in 2028, Barack…

“Conservative Successes”?

By Gary Pearce April 23, 2026

Senator Phil Berger was out of touch with voters in his district – and suffered the…

Rise and Fall

By Gary Pearce April 21, 2026

A reassuring lesson from our trip to Germany and Czechia is that dictators, despots and tyrants…