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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Be nice

By Gary Pearce June 20, 2016

As Governor Hunt spoke about Barbara Buchanan during her memorial service this month, something he said took me back many years. And reminded me of a lesson that Barbara taught by example. Barbara was Hunt’s administrative assistant through his four years as Lieutenant Governor, first eight years as Governor, eight years in a law firm…

Stuck in the Mud?

By Carter Wrenn June 20, 2016

I turned on Fox News and there was Donald Trump arms waving at a rally giving a vintage broadside. I thought, This is getting old. Two polls last week showed Trump trailing Hillary Clinton by 9 points and 12 points nationally. Another poll showed Trump’s Unfavorable rating rising to 70%: And here in North Carolina…

Re-Runs

By Carter Wrenn June 17, 2016

Back during the Presidential Primary Donald Trump would go on a tear and give the Washington Insiders hell and watching him was enjoyable – but, now, watching Donald Trump berating Pocahontas the way he berated Lyin’ Ted and Little Marco is like watching the same TV program over and over again.  I guess Trump would…

Looking Back: The Master of the Deal

By Carter Wrenn June 16, 2016

When George Holding took his final poll on the Wednesday before the election he led Renee Ellmers by almost 30 points. Then, three days later, on Saturday Donald Trump jumped into the primary with both feet – and endorsed Ellmers. In a way Trump’s move was a surprise: Ellmers had initially supported John Kasich and,…

Looking Back: A Myth is Born

By Carter Wrenn June 15, 2016

Since the election reporters have been writing stories explaining why George Holding won and Renee Ellmers lost – one of the first to weigh in was the News and Observer saying Ellmers lost because powerful conservative groups decided to make an example of her. The Club for Growth alone, the N&O reported, “spent nearly $790,000…

Looking Back: The Mastermind

By Carter Wrenn June 14, 2016

I imagine it happened this way: After the Republican Leaders in Congress went down to the White House and made the ‘Omnibus Budget Deal’ with President Obama they then called a caucus of Republican Congressmen to get the votes to pass it. The Leaders explained to the rows of Congressmen how the deal was not…

GOP crack-up

By Gary Pearce June 13, 2016

We’re witnessing an historic falling-out between the two wings that have given flight to the Republican Party since 1968: the Racists and the Elitists. Since Richard Nixon’s Southern Strategy that year, the Elitists have been able to signal and dog-whistle the Racists enough to keep them inside the tent without offending too many Americans. But…

Ali (Clay)

By Gary Pearce June 10, 2016

People of a certain age remember Muhammad Ali as the 1960 Olympics gold medalist, the brash young heavyweight champion and one of the most divisive people in the divisive decade of the ‘60s. Consider what Donald Trump says today about Muslims, and imagine how controversial it was when Ali, immediately after winning the heavyweight championship…

So it begins

By Gary Pearce June 9, 2016

As Donald Trump doubled down on the race card, Hillary Clinton didn’t just play the woman card, she dealt the whole damn deck. The Clinton campaign waited until she could claim victory to proclaim a historic first for women. And it happened just as a Stanford swimmer, his father and a judge reminded us how…

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…