You wouldn’t know it from the headlines, but technically the nominees for governor haven’t been decided yet. In fact, no one has even filed. But there’s a good chance McCrory and especially Cooper will be facing opposition in their respective primaries. Do they have any chance of losing? Well, that’s another story.
Brawley. Some not-so-good news for the governor: former Rep. Robert Brawley of Iredell County, who lost his seat in a GOP primary last year, is mulling a primary challenge to McCrory. Brawley is railing mostly against toll lanes on I-77, an issue that has been overlooked by many political commentators but is of vast importance to those in the suburbs north of Charlotte and in the Lake Norman area.
In the general, McCrory needs a big margin in the Charlotte exurbs in order to offset probable losses in the state’s metro areas and in Eastern North Carolina, Roy Cooper’s base. So if people affected by the tolls sour on the governor, he’s in big trouble. And needless to say, no incumbent governor wants to deal with a primary. Right now McCrory has the luxury of being able to focus solely on Roy Cooper. A challenge from the Right would take away that advantage.
The question is: will Brawley run? Lately we’ve been bamboozled by people like Greg Brannon, who seemed intent on running in the primary but later revealed he was merely launching a Super PAC. And then there’s Woody White, who seemed on the verge of announcing a challenge against David Rouzer but just yesterday made a big announcement saying he wouldn’t. After those examples, I’m inclined to treat Brawley’s statements as bluster until he actually pays the filing fee.
Spaulding. Unlike on the Republican side, it looks like Cooper is definitely going to face opposition in the primary. While no one expects the Attorney General to lose, his margin of victory will be an important indicator.
After Cooper backed a “pause” for refugees, there is an opening on his left. And while it would probably be foolish to regard Cooper as anything but the de facto nominee, Durham attorney Ken Spaulding could see an uptick in support. PPP’s last look at the primary found Cooper ahead 58/13. It will be interesting if that changes any in their next poll.
In addition to Cooper’s frustrating progressives with his stance on refugees, Spaulding had a good moment and Cooper had a bad one when the frontrunner was seen (literally?) running away from Spaulding’s debate challenge. The Attorney General’s campaign apparently sees no real need to engage with Spaulding at this point in time.
But common to both parties is a belief that candidates have to “earn” their nomination. Because this is especially true of non-incumbents, Cooper would be well-advised to debate his opponent at least once. A successful debate would help broadcast Cooper’s strengths while potentially alleviating concerns from the base that he’s not progressive 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.
Don’t you think that in that picture Roy Cooper looks like a ready to please scared dog? Lincoln once explained his rejection of a job applicant as, “I didn’t like his face.” When queried further by the shocked aide, he went further, saying, “After 40 a man is responsible for his own face.” McCrory looks genial you know, all happy and confident. He has a dog. One of those first class dogs.
Little has been made of his aim to grab power from the judge reviewing Fracking. Well those drills can’t sit idle. Sympathy for the roughneck. Off shore drilling, great!
GE, well they do whatever that new fangled tech of getting twisting tide pool turbine dynamos on the other side of the planet. It is too hard to read about that stuff. Pump up the solar, long as it is all in the hands of Duke.
The competition was getting out of hand.
No competition is too small to crush.
Anyway Burr went right after the Transportation dollars for the road, superhighway, long needed from Morehead City to I-40 and I-95.
Democrats were waiting for the army to say something I imagine.
Democrats are waiting on Hillary. Waiting and whining. Somebody has to think for them. Tom Ross exited further than they thought he would.
If it was me I’d be demanding superconductor cooled transmission lines running off the one Gulf Stream turbine to go ahead and give the legacy grid power from another feeding the cooled lines by the end of three years, And encouraging Tesla power wall factories close here to keep up with residential needs.
(cheap) Power is the key to prosperity. Aiming to get it from a finite source when we got so many hogs to give us gas looks like a fools errand.
Wait for the fad of it to take hold.
Wait all till the rich get all the contracts for everything and run all the old stuff till it is throwing bearings or leaking or something that can’t be hid.
Furniture might come back. Tobacco might come back. Cotton might come back. Pot might get made legal.
The capitalistic edict that prevents any more than subsistence wages is known to lead to stagnation of any economy.
A tax cut for the well off is a raise in the minimum wage to the majority.
In the US violence is necessary every time.
There is enough science in economics to say what is best and better than what is. “Best Practices”.
Look at how the airport in Greensboro is run, and extrapolate from there.
Add ground runs from the deepwater port and NC port authorities friendly to unions since no union maritimers want to visit enemy ports. Throw in a living thriving wage for the working class and there is your future. Enough for the greedy to sell things like cars, and appliances.
Best news for NC I’ve heard is that Burr is after the Transportation Dept. tax money for that superhighway from Morehead City to I-40 and I-95. As Transcendian, I support that sort of thing, even if it comes from someone who is a member of Torquiest Nation. Nor Quest C.S.A. Send money to the Cook Islands Dentist people.
& P.S. Look at Uruguay. I think you can drive there.