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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Voter ID Deal?

By Gary Pearce November 7, 2011

A lobbyist friend suspects that the legislature will try to override the Governor’s veto of the voter ID bill this week.   Then we may learn whether some Democrats agreed to vote for the override in exchange for the gay-marriage amendment being on the ballot in May, instead of November.   Stay tuned.

Put Jim Hunt in Office

By Gary Pearce November 4, 2011

No, he’s not running again.  (It’s amazing how the rumor keeps coming up.)   We’re talking about his personal office in the new James B. Hunt, Jr. Library on Centennial Campus at N.C. State University.   The Jim Hunt Alumni Association is raising $100,000 for naming rights to the office.    Who are Jim Hunt…

Sixteen Again

By Gary Pearce November 3, 2011

It’s said that your favorite music will always be what you listened to when you were first steaming up car windows. The Kinks loom large in my soundtrack.   Last night I was transported back in time – in Charlotte, of all places – at a Ray Davies concert.   Nearly 50 years after “All…

A Lobbyist’s Rant

By Gary Pearce November 2, 2011

I received the angry missive below from a lobbyist – who wishes to remain nameless, for obvious reasons – in response to reports that Republican State Rep. Justin Burr used campaign funds to buy suits and jackets from Brooks Brothers in Raleigh.    “Lobbyists are a timid bunch.    “They never squawk when they’re treated…

Conglomerates and Push Polls

By Carter Wrenn November 1, 2011

Thom who’s twenty-eight and, after managing three campaigns for State legislature, has decided he’s ready to be a political consultant stopped in mid-sentence and pointed to the back of Albert’s newspaper,   ‘Geez, look at that.’   The waitress poured coffee.   Albert, who’s a pollster, turned over the paper and stared at a full…

The New North Carolina

By Gary Pearce November 1, 2011

There’s a direct line betweenRob Christensen’s Page 1 story today about why President Obama loves North Carolina and John Frank’s story yesterday about John and Ann Campbell’s role in the Wake school board race.   Long, long ago, before some of you were born, North Carolina had three industries: textiles, furniture and tobacco. In the…

Dems Have $$, Too

By Gary Pearce October 31, 2011

Now Republicans are whining about elections being for sale.   A couple of weeks ago, Democrats were whining about Art Pope “buying” North Carolina. I suggested they stop whining and start winning by finding their own deep pockets.   It looks like the deep pockets found them.   John Frank reports in the N&O that…

Responding to Carter

By Gary Pearce October 30, 2011

Now Carter’s gone to meddling. So I feel compelled to depart from my preference to avoid writing about clients.   His October 24 blog, “The Vanishing Cuts,” takes aim at DHHS Secretary Lanier Cansler – again. His collateral targets include people who run and live in adult-care homes (my clients).   Here’s the other side…

Cy Lynn

By Gary Pearce October 29, 2011

The Hunt Alumni lost one of our friends last week. Cy Lynn died. Here’s the N&O obit.   Cy was public affairs director at DOT in Hunt I and II. He handled paid media in Hunt’s 1980 reelection campaign. He went on to work for the community colleges and then the Chamber of Commerce in…

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…

Enough is Enough

By Gary Pearce March 11, 2026

Exactly 80 years ago, in 1946, Republicans took control of Congress with a simple message: “Had…