Wakeup Call
2011-10-12 - by
It was a rout. Democrats were fired up and ready to go.
They were mad about more than the school board. They were mad about the 2010 elections, the Republican legislature, the Tea Party, even Art (“I am not an heir”) Pope.
Incidentally, Tuesday’s results show that Pope’s power was exaggerated by the New Yorker. Control North Carolina? He doesn’t even control his home town and county.
How strong was the tide? Strong enough to drown Billie Redmond – well-liked, well-connected and well-financed – by more than 2-to-1.
Strong enough to sweep in more taxes, spending and borrowing in the worst possible economic environment.
Strong enough to overcome Republican gerrymandering, unseat Ron Margiotta and come within a few votes of taking control of the school board.
Make no mistake: It was a partisan victory. Democrats put in the money, put professional organizers to work and used their polling to settle on a clear, consistent message: stop the Tea Party.
In 2010, Republican voters were motivated. In this election, it was Democrats. Next year, both will be fired up and ready to go.
It will be a hell of a battle. And Raleigh, Wake County and North Carolina will be ground zero.
Wakeup Call
2011-10-12/
It was a rout. Democrats were fired up and ready to go.
They were mad about more than the school board. They were mad about the 2010 elections, the Republican legislature, the Tea Party, even Art (“I am not an heir”) Pope.
Incidentally, Tuesday’s results show that Pope’s power was exaggerated by the New Yorker. Control North Carolina? He doesn’t even control his home town and county.
How strong was the tide? Strong enough to drown Billie Redmond – well-liked, well-connected and well-financed – by more than 2-to-1.
Strong enough to sweep in more taxes, spending and borrowing in the worst possible economic environment.
Strong enough to overcome Republican gerrymandering, unseat Ron Margiotta and come within a few votes of taking control of the school board.
Make no mistake: It was a partisan victory. Democrats put in the money, put professional organizers to work and used their polling to settle on a clear, consistent message: stop the Tea Party.
In 2010, Republican voters were motivated. In this election, it was Democrats. Next year, both will be fired up and ready to go.
It will be a hell of a battle. And Raleigh, Wake County and North Carolina will be ground zero.