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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Trump’s cap

By Gary Pearce June 30, 2016

When you come back from overseas, you look at American politics with fresh eyes. The first thing that caught my eye was the stupid cap Donald Trump wears. That’s reason enough to disqualify him from the Presidency. He wears the stupid cap, of course, to keep his stupid hairstyle from flying about wildly. Any man who…

Baltic Sea sights

By Gary Pearce June 29, 2016

Here are a few things I saw and learned on a cruise from London to the Baltic Sea this month. Amsterdam: You can window-shop for sex and buy joints in “coffee houses.” Then, just a few blocks from the red-light district, Ann Frank’s house reminds you where the politics of hate can lead. No Guns:…

Famine on the Potomac

By Carter Wrenn June 29, 2016

Britain’s vote to get out of the EU sent tremors through the financial markets in London and New York – stocks plummeted, banks tottered, billionaires fled to high ground – and, in the meantime, reports of Donald Trump’s flagging fundraising sent a shock wave through the Republican Political Class in our nation’s capital. Summer and…

A Clash of Titans

By Carter Wrenn June 28, 2016

Here’re the highlights of Pat and Roy’s first debate: Pat: I’m against Mental Health addiction. Roy: My mom taught me to love education. Roy again: Pat doesn’t do enough about mental health. Pat: The way Roy ran the crime lab when I was Mayor was a disaster. Pat again: Roy was part of the Good…

Cricket

By Gary Pearce June 27, 2016

A good friend got it right when he called to console me on the death of my sister, Cricket. He said, “The longer I live, the more I see there are two kinds of people in the world. There are the lovers, who love people, care about people and want to lift them up. Then…

A Sign

By Carter Wrenn June 27, 2016

It’s hard these days to tell who’s on top in the Governor’s race: One day one poll has Pat up. A few days later the same poll has Pat down. Then another poll – by Civitas or High Point University or Elon University or PPP – has Pat up again. It’s a muddle. But, sometimes,…

Trouble in the Suburbs

By Carter Wrenn June 23, 2016

Here’s one reason it looks like Donald Trump may cause Republicans heartburn this fall: 30% of the voters in North Carolina almost always vote for the Republican candidate and 35% almost always vote Democratic. Conservative Rural Democrats are the first (and smallest) group of swing voters and they’re a blessing to Republicans. They’re only around…

An Outbreak of Independent Candidates

By Carter Wrenn June 22, 2016

Maybe it’s just an odd coincidence but two ‘Independent’ candidates are running and two more are on the cusp of qualifying to run and every one of them is in a ‘safe’ Republican district. House Majority Leader Mike Hager already has an Independent opponent (with no Democrat in the race) and Senate Republican Leader Phil…

Some Folks Never Learn

By Carter Wrenn June 21, 2016

Senator Richard Burr’s campaign has a rare decorum: There’s been no name calling, no finger pointing and no rants which has to appeal to voters who’re fed up with politics. But sometimes your friends, meaning to be helpful, can land you in a soup. One night last election (in 2014) as I was sitting in…

Independents Turn Against GOP

By Gary Pearce March 17, 2026

North Carolina voters don’t like either the Democratic or Republican parties. But Independent voters – who…

Getting the News

By Gary Pearce March 13, 2026

How do you get your news? Our statewide poll asked North Carolina voters what their primary…

MAGA-gator

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2026

Thom Tillis and Phil Berger fed the MAGA alligator. Then it ate them. Thomas Mills wrote…