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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It’s the Schools, Stupid

By Gary Pearce March 11, 2014

Governor McCrory may have coal ash on his hands, but I bet most voters have education on their minds. So, does focusing on the Dan River disaster distract Democrats from a stronger issue?   The spill is a tempting target. There’s the McCrory-Duke tie. You can tell the Governor is sensitive about it. When he…

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A Side-Step

By Carter Wrenn March 10, 2014

It’s tough to stay a step ahead of a smart bureaucrat.      About a week ago I wrote an article explaining how what a bureaucrat wants (for himself) and what’s best for public education isn’t always the same thing – and used Senator Phil Berger’s ‘Read to Achieve’ bill as an example.   What…

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Homeless

By Gary Pearce March 10, 2014

Will Randy Voller leave the Democratic Party homeless? What a tribute to his leadership.   WRAL reports: “An Executive Council member…said embattled party Chairman Randy Voller told members the party is ‘broke,’ with only $60,000 in the bank. According to the attendee, Voller told party members he may have to let some staffers go, and…

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Mountain Man Martin Nesbitt

By Gary Pearce March 7, 2014

This tribute was penned by Gene Upchurch, a veteran executive and lobbyist for CP&L and Progress Energy:   “For those of us who have toiled in the Raleigh political gig the last 30 years, Martin Nesbitt has always been there. Love him or hate him, agree or disagree, he was there, usually bigger than life.…

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Thank You, Robert Holding

By Gary Pearce March 6, 2014

He helped answer two questions that I get a lot: Why are you helping Clay Aiken? And, of course: What’s he like?   When Holding said he was considering running against Renee Ellmers in the Republican primary (he didn’t, in the end), he said she “has gone Washington.” He added, “Do not underestimate Clay Aiken.…

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Running in Circles

By Carter Wrenn March 5, 2014

These days just about every politician in Raleigh is saying (as often as he can) how he wants to spend more money on schools and give teachers raises.    But what if the root of the problem with schools isn’t money.    This is a bit simple but the prime movers in public education are:…

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Thinking Head

By Gary Pearce March 5, 2014

When every politician in Washington sounds like a robot reciting a predictable party line, Rand Paul sounds like a man who actually thinks. Sometimes he sounds sounds nutty and sometimes he makes sense, but he’s worth watching – and listening to.   Paul first caught my attention when he filibustered against drones, denounced the NSA…

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Numbers

By Gary Pearce March 4, 2014

Three eye-catching and eye-popping numbers jumped out of the paper lately – numbers that truly tell a story.   990. That’s how many dollars an hour the latest expert is being paid to give us the latest “final” report on the UNC academic/athletics scandal. What would it cost UNC to just ask The News &…

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A Little Patience

By Carter Wrenn March 3, 2014

The other day I was feeling a little down and blue about Republicans’ foibles then thanks to Democratic Chairman Randy Vollmer the sun broke through the clouds.   Awhile back, the Democratic Party had to replace its Executive Director after he was accused of sexual harassment. Last week, Chairman Randy Vollmer fired the replacement and…

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Joe John

By Gary Pearce January 22, 2025

State Representative Joe John, who died today, looked something like a friendly but fierce bulldog. He…

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What You Missed

By Gary Pearce January 21, 2025

Some of my friends didn’t watch Trump’s inauguration. One went to church. One went to every…

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Women Warriors

By Gary Pearce January 19, 2025

The Democratic Party needs to get tougher, and that’s a job for Democratic women. Sydney Batch…

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