Last week the NC GOP announced “Project Listen” which will focus on engaging with residents in Wake and Mecklenburg counties in order to make sure that the party stays abreast of continued demographic changes in the two largest urban areas of the state. It’s a good idea, but it remains to be seen whether it will be effective, or even what exactly the effort will involve. It’s also an indication that the GOP knows they’re losing ground in those areas and are committed to turning things around. But like the “rebranding” effort of the national GOP, that may be difficult to do in practice.
The announcement also comes at the same time the General Assembly is pushing through legislation which will redistrict the Wake County Board of Commissioners. Although it’s hard to imagine the GOP will pay much of a political price in Wake County for the redraw, typically the sort of folks who live in Wake (moderate, educated suburbanites) aren’t thrilled about government intervening in such matters. Unfortunately for Democrats, only political types get really riled up about gerrymandering, and those are few and far between. Not to mention that clever redistricting can essentially mute the voice of the opposition. From a strategic standpoint, it’s hard to make an argument not to draw the lines in one’s favor.
In an illustration of the need for Project Listen, on the very same day of its unveiling news came that Cary Town Councilman Don Frantz was switching his registration from Republican to Unaffiliated. While that might be seen as a triumph for Democrats and a loss for the GOP, Frantz isn’t leaving the party for reasons one might think. While not a social conservative, Frantz was apparently disgusted with the GOP’s failure to stand up to Obama’s executive amnesty, and also for the extremely partisan nature of today’s political discourse. It’s difficult to place his views into a box.
But many voters in Wake County and across the state would probably echo Frantz’s characterization of the political climate as overly partisan, and also Frantz’s assessment that “no party has a monopoly on suck.” The focus on Wake and Mecklenburg by the NC GOP is a good move. Those places are increasingly influential in NC politics and in the future it won’t be possible to win statewide while getting blown out there, as happened last November. For the state party, a turnaround in those areas can’t come soon enough.
John Wynne is the “conservative voice” at PoliticsNC, where he also provides polling analysis and commentary on legislative campaigns. When not writing about politics, he enjoys gardening and listening to opera. Contact: johncwynne@gmail.com.
The GOP will say they are trying to listen to urban/suburban counties (although they’d prefer to just talk AT folks). But they need to listen in the rural red counties, too.
They need to ask folks there if they are happy with the additional income and electricity taxes they are paying now, with the tighter local school budgets, with having at least one nearby hospital on shaky economic ground, and with having seen no new or innovative state efforts to attract/retain businesses since the GOP came to power 5 years ago.
They’d get a earful, I’m sure, but then again, it’s only a fantasy. The GOP doesn’t know how to, and doesn’t want to, ask and then listen. Why? Because they just can’t deal with people or communities who have real needs and who want some government action to help address those needs.
Do you think there is potential for a progressive Republican candidate, maybe even a Millennial, to swoop in an take out Stam or Barefoot in a primary…especially if they take on those issues like the bait and switch on taxes, Stam’s bad attitude about voter opinions on issues, The Barefoot-Stam_Fitzgerald Hate Alliance, difficulty in breaking into the middle class, and other center to center-right platform points? What say you Apples Liberty?
“Although it’s hard to imagine the GOP paying much of a price in Wake County for the redraw..” I disagree. If our Buncombe commenters are to be believed, Tim Moffitt lost in large part because of beating up on Asheville. Forcibly gerrymandering the Wake County School Board also, arguably, factored into the anti-GOP backlash in Wake. Thus, there is precedent for politicians “paying a price” for local-affair interventions/abuses. Voters don’t like being treated as punching bags.
There’s something to that. But I doubt the redistricting alone will provoke a backlash. The General Assembly (and more specifically, Republicans in the Wake delegation) would have to be perceived as beating up on Raleigh.
To channel a conservative intellectual, that’s a distinction without a difference. Diluting the voting power of Oak City residents–as Barefoot and Stam (R’s-Wake) are doing–does constitute “beating up Raleigh.”What is a city, after all, if not the people who live in it? Saying that gerrymandering is unique among abuses, in not offending the voters seems to me to be a bit arbitrary.
I hope my tone doesn’t come across as hostile, it certainly isn’t meant to be.
Cast a net in wake county and capture 100 people, how many will be able to tell you the names of all four of the county commissioner candidates they voted for? Then ask them which ballot handout they had when they went in.
Yeah, we get it, you hate democracy. Just like any other right-wing brute.
Typo correction: *Fascist* right-wing brute.
Oh my, I must have struck a sensitive nerve. Is that tolerance for diverse opinion on display? Thank you for amplifying my point.
I was under the impression that Wake voters went against the Republican wave in the 2014 elections in large part due to distaste with the state General Assembly. Aside from taking over the County Commissions a Wake County Republican was also defeated in a state house race…not to mention that Hagan beat Tillis by something like 13 points in Wake. I believe that if any voters in the state are paying attention to power grabs by the General Assembly Wake County voters will be it…
*typo correction* Aside from Democrats taking over the County Commissions a Wake County Republican was also defeated in a state house race…
‘……why many Wake voters won’t be bothered by Big Government interloping on local districting for political purposes only.’
One can answer that part easily……if they aren’t bothered by the President’s extra-constitutional power grabs and aren’t taking to the streets to protest the encroachment of the Federal government on the State’s constitutional prerogatives, why would they be upset by the state government doing the same to local entities?
Classic arch-conservative digressive input, TY. “It’s Obama’s fault!” Your ilk is relentless and preposterous…..
I’m honestly stunned that you think its OK if one side does it but not the other. You’re right, I don’t understand that kind of thinking, us mainstreamers call it hypocrisy.
First digression and now use of false equivalency from you, TY. We were talking about a state/local issue here, and you chose to offer an anti-Obama justification. And now, you lecture us on “all’s fair if both sides do it” and hypocrisy? If you can’t understand how far off track you are, I can’t help you………
So the GOP launches “Project Listen” on the heals of essentially telling Wake voters that we will gerrymander your voting districts for county commissioners (essentially reducing your direct voice) AND will not allow you a voice on the gerrymandering bill (recall that Sen. Stein’s amendment to allow wake voters some input on the matter was procedurally sent off to the netherworld)? The brazenness and oppressiveness appalls….
And, John? You sure you don’t want to take a do-over on your reasoning and logic in this blog? I’ve read it 5 times now, and still can’t follow your train of thought as to the reasons why many Wake voters won’t be bothered by Big Government interloping on local districting for political purposes only.
Finally, I guess you’ve shown your true colors…again. By saying “clever redistricting can essentially mute the voice of the opposition. From a strategic standpoint, it’s hard to make an argument not to draw the lines in one’s favor,” you show that you favor silencing the voter whenever there’s a hair’s chance that the voter won’t like your platform. Pure, egregious, arrogant, voter-be-damned politics, me thinx!
“It’s difficult to place his views into a box.” Difficult indeed. So much to say….