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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If Obama Wins…

By Gary Pearce November 6, 2012

The baffling question is how Mitt Romney lost. If ever this was a challenger’s race to win, this was it.   The economy is bad. Obama is an activist in an anti-government age. He has never done a good job of selling his record. He was not a great candidate this year. He bombed in the…

GOP: Grand Obstruction Party

By Gary Pearce November 5, 2012

Worst rationale for voting for Romney: maybe Democrats will cooperate with him, unlike Republicans who refused to work with Obama.   D.G. Martin asked about that argument when he interviewed Carter, Tom Drew and me on WCHL last week.   That rewards obstructionism. It rewards Washington Republicans who set out from the beginning of President…

Agreeing With Tedesco

By Gary Pearce November 4, 2012

A TAPster who has no use for John Tedesco finds common ground:   “Have you taken a good look at one of John Tedesco’s yard signs in his campaign for State Superintendent?  At a stoplight today, I finally took a moment to read one.  Here’s what it says:   “’JOHN TEDESCO: Our Children Deserve Better.’…

Obama Up by a Field Goal With Three to Go

By Gary Pearce November 2, 2012

Confused by the polling superstorm? Confounded by contradictory pundits? Then get a dose of Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight blog. a deep, dense statistical analysis of the presidential race.   This week he plumbed the national and battleground-state polls. His conclusion: “Obama remains the favorite in the Electoral College.”   More:   “Mr. Obama is not a…

The Disappearance of the Machines

By Carter Wrenn November 1, 2012

For years the Democratic Party’s marched onto political battlefields and vanquished Republicans, winning every Governor’s race in North Carolina for two decades and, except for one brief hiatus, holding control of the State Senate and House in an iron grip for over a century.   But this election Pat McCrory’s led Walter Dalton in the…

Newby, O’Conner and Judicial Conduct

By Gary Pearce November 1, 2012

Here’s more fuel for the Paul Newby redistricting-recusal fire (see my blog yesterday). A lawyer notes recent comments by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner and the contents of the N.C. Code of Judicial Conduct.   O’Conner, a Republican appointed by Ronald Reagan, has strongly criticized SuperPac participation in state judicial races, the…

It’s Not Complex. It’s Simple.

By Carter Wrenn October 31, 2012

Last spring an old friend, a pollster, came to Raleigh and predicted without blinking Romney was going to win and I said, Why’s that? and he said, It’s simple. A lot of people who voted for Obama last time won’t vote for him again but I don’t know anyone who voted for McCain who is…

Should Newby Recuse Himself on Redistricting?

By Gary Pearce October 31, 2012

Looking at the big money backing Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby, a knowledgeable lawyer warns: “There would seem little doubt now but that Justice Newby will have to recuse himself from any redistricting case that might come before the high court.”   The lawyer says Newby may also have to recuse himself from cases involving…

The Ultimate X Factor

By Gary Pearce October 29, 2012

Sandy is about to blow away – literally – everything we think we know about this presidential election. Soon it will all be up in the air – or under water.   There is no way to exaggerate the impact of a storm that covers 500 miles, hits 50 million people and lasts for days.…

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…