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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Pachyderms and Feuds

By Carter Wrenn April 28, 2010

The other day there was a minor eruption in the press when a group of Republicans got mad at former Republican Co-Speaker of the House Richard Morgan for criticizing Governor Perdue and Cabinet Secretary Lanier Cansler for passing out no bid contracts. Now if that seems unusual it took the Governor (who laughed and told…

Landing in an Odd Place

By Carter Wrenn April 27, 2010

There’s a political war going on in the Republican Primary for State House down in Jacksonville. Martin Aragona, a former County Commissioner, is running as is Phil Shepard who, it turns out, is supported by the local leaders of the Perdue-Easley political machine (including a former Easley Highway Commissioner). At their first debate Aragona asked…

Renee Ellmers

By Carter Wrenn April 27, 2010

One Week to Go

By Gary Pearce April 26, 2010

The money-starved Democratic U.S. Senate primary limps to a finish next Tuesday – with a runoff possible and Richard Burr sitting on $5 million for the fall.   Elaine Marshall’s campaign promises a healthy TV buy this week. They hope it will check Cal Cunningham’s comparative blitz of ads.   Her campaign even talks hopefully…

Reeves versus Miller

By Carter Wrenn April 23, 2010

It’s no secret I’ve been supporting my old friend Bernie Reeves in his race against Congressman Brad Miller. Here’s Bernie’s ad:

Bev’s Numbers

By Gary Pearce April 22, 2010

Let’s look at two sets of numbers important to Governor Perdue: her budget and her polls.   Her proposed budget is a solid response to a stinky mess. She spread around the pain. And she still made important investments in economic development, education and human services.   She deserves credit for keeping the state on…

Burr’s Edge

By Gary Pearce April 21, 2010

Richard Burr has a much easier primary campaign than Kenneth Lewis or Elaine Marshall. But he has an ad on TV, and they don’t.   That dramatizes the huge financial advantage Burr has this year.   His ad is notable for two things: black faces and veterans. He’s softening any Tea Party-image with general-election voters.…

Barking Yellow Dogs

By Gary Pearce April 20, 2010

When a Washington Post reporter asked me about Democratic congressmen from North Carolina voting against health-care reform, I told him: “You buy a dog, don’t be afraid when it barks.”   When Nancy Pelosi, Rahm Emanuel and the DCCC recruited Health Shuler and Larry Kissell to run in 2008, they knew what they were getting.…

The Trust Deficit

By Gary Pearce April 20, 2010

It’s bad news for Democrats when only 22 percent of Americans say they trust government.   That number comes from a Pew Research Center poll, which found “a perfect storm of conditions associated with distrust of government — a dismal economy, an unhappy public, bitter partisan-based backlash, and epic discontent with Congress and elected officials.”  …

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…