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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How Much Hate?

By Gary Pearce January 29, 2023

Frank Bruni wrote in The New York Times this week that Lt. Governor Mark Robinson’s candidacy for governor would raise “the question of how much bigotry and divisiveness Republican and independent voters in North Carolina are willing to endorse, indulge or be persuaded to overlook.” Well, North Carolina elected Jesse Helms (pictured) to the Senate…

Biden vs. Putin and Republicans

By Gary Pearce January 27, 2023

Republicans revered Ronald Reagan for bringing down the Soviet Union, the “evil empire.” But Trump and MAGA Republicans swoon over Czar Putin’s iron-fisted rule, gay-bashing and bare-chested manliness. President Biden armed the Ukrainians and united the free world against Russia’s brutal invasion. Now he is sending Ukraine tanks. Courageous Ukrainians exposed Putin’s military as rotten,…

Big Lawsuit

By Carter Wrenn January 27, 2023

A year ago the Republicans in the state legislature drew all the Republican Congressional districts they could. Democrats sued. And the State Supreme Court – controlled by Democrats – threw out Republican districts, drew districts that elected more Democrats. Unhappy Republican legislators sued, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to rule only state legislators can draw…

A Little Screwy

By Carter Wrenn January 26, 2023

Over the years American courts have ruled no to school prayer, no to saluting the flag, no to saying the Pledge of Allegiance – all to ‘protect people’s constitutional rights.’ Now a Colorado businesswoman’s landed in a lawsuit in the Supreme Court because she won’t build gay marriage websites and, oddly, the same people who…

Run, Liz, Run

By Gary Pearce January 25, 2023

America needs a third party. Liz Cheney should be its nominee for President. She could save America, and the Republican Party, from Donald Trump. We don’t need a centrist third party searching for a mythical middle ground. We need a true, never-Trump conservative party. Trump is no conservative. He’s a divider and a destroyer. Cheney…

The Coming Fight

By Carter Wrenn January 25, 2023

For years, when Republicans fought in a primary, conservative candidates had an edge: Most primary voters were conservative. And, since Independent voters often agreed with conservatives on issues, conservative Republicans were able to go on and win General Elections. That’s changed. Today, for many Republican primary voters Trump’s a totem. Conservative, an idea, matters less.…

Putin’s Happy

By Carter Wrenn January 24, 2023

Biden cut a deal with Putin, got Brittney Griner home. Trump blasted Biden, called his deal ‘stupid,’ said Griner ‘openly hates our country.’ The Internet erupted, war broke out with one side gushing over Biden, the other side jeering him – and Putin must have been happier than he dreamed: He got his arms dealer…

Rare Courage

By Carter Wrenn January 23, 2023

Every election for years I heard Tom Ellis tell politicians, Put principle above politics – to do what’s right, don’t worry about getting elected. Those days are past. After reading an Elon Musk tweet Trump, on a tear, said election fraud justified ‘termination of the Constitution.’ He lost under the constitution – so throw out…

Beth Wood’s Crash

By Gary Pearce January 22, 2023

State Auditor Beth Wood obviously made a mistake when she crashed her state car onto another car in downtown Raleigh the evening of Dec. 8. She made another mistake when she left the scene without reporting the crash to the owner or police. Another mistake when she didn’t fess up, in full, the next day.…

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…