Why Democrats Lost in North Carolina

Democrats lived through about their worst election ever Tuesday night: Republicans whipped them in the races for Governor, Lt. Governor, elected three new Congressmen and gained seats in the State House and Senate – so how, post election, are Democratic pundits explaining their world falling apart? Here’s what they’re saying:
 
‘That darn Art Pope with his boat loads of money is the villain.’
 
Now for Democratic pundits Art Pope’s a boogieman out of their nightmares, but, with all respect to Art, I’d say the person most responsible for Walter Dalton’s defeat was Beverly Perdue. The Democratic pundits also said:
 
‘Chad Barefoot raised three times more than Doug Berger; Neal Hunt raised four times more than Sig Hutchinson; Republicans spent $2 million to elect Paul Newby. Republicans bought the election. That’s why they won pure and simple.’
 
And, of course a lot of Democratic pundits are adding: ‘The Republicans’ perfidious redistricting plan undid us.’
 
Now, all that’s fine and true but it’s also good old-fashioned woe-is-me-blame-someone-else handwringing. Blaming Art Pope for Walter Dalton, Linda Coleman, Sam Ervin and thirty or forty Democratic legislators losing is probably emotionally soothing for a grieving pundit – but wasn’t there anything Democrats did wrong to land themselves in this soup?
Avatar photo

Carter Wrenn

Categories

Archives

Recent Posts

Why Democrats Lost in North Carolina

Democrats lived through about their worst election ever Tuesday night: Republicans whipped them in the races for Governor, Lt. Governor, elected three new Congressmen and gained seats in the State House and Senate – so how, post election, are Democratic pundits explaining their world falling apart? Here’s what they’re saying:
 
‘That darn Art Pope with his boat loads of money is the villain.’
 
Now for Democratic pundits Art Pope’s a boogieman out of their nightmares, but, with all respect to Art, I’d say the person most responsible for Walter Dalton’s defeat was Beverly Perdue. The Democratic pundits also said:
 
‘Chad Barefoot raised three times more than Doug Berger; Neal Hunt raised four times more than Sig Hutchinson; Republicans spent $2 million to elect Paul Newby. Republicans bought the election. That’s why they won pure and simple.’
 
And, of course a lot of Democratic pundits are adding: ‘The Republicans’ perfidious redistricting plan undid us.’
 
Now, all that’s fine and true but it’s also good old-fashioned woe-is-me-blame-someone-else handwringing. Blaming Art Pope for Walter Dalton, Linda Coleman, Sam Ervin and thirty or forty Democratic legislators losing is probably emotionally soothing for a grieving pundit – but wasn’t there anything Democrats did wrong to land themselves in this soup?
Avatar photo

Carter Wrenn

Categories

Archives