What leadership provides

by | Jul 20, 2017 | Democrats, Editor's Blog | 4 comments

What a difference a leader makes. Roy Cooper is leading and rebuilding the state Democratic Party and taking the fight the Republicans every day. Now, he’s announced a well-funded effort to make serious in-roads into the GOP majorities in the legislature. He’s firing up the base and garnering national attention.

Democrats in North Carolina wandered in the wilderness for almost eight years with little direction and fewer resources. The state party was weakened by scandal and incompetence. Like governors across the nation, Bev Perdue struggled to get her ratings in positive territory during the pain of the Great Recession. After her loss, no elected official had the gravitas or network to unite the rank-and-file and provide direction. Third parties and activist groups tried to fill the void, but without a high-profile leader, Democrats struggled to get real traction.

Cooper and the North Carolina Democratic Party have made one of the most remarkable recoveries in recent memory. Just a few years ago, pundits believed state parties were becoming obsolete and that third parties would take their place. Today, North Carolina Democrats have a highly functioning and growing operation. At the root of the success is Cooper’s commitment to make the party a powerful player in the political arena.

Cooper hasn’t done it by himself or in a vacuum. North Carolina has been one of the most competitive states in the nation for more than quarter of a century. Democrats built an army of battle-tested operatives who understand how campaigns and state parties are supposed to work. They provided the infrastructure and strategy for Cooper’s win and now they’ll lead his effort to take back the legislature before the next redistricting.

Cooper has taken the fight to the Republicans since the minute he took office and he’s fought with every tool at his disposal. He’s clearly defined his positions through vetoes, lawsuits and speeches. At times, he’s pushed the GOP to work across party lines, usually to no avail. Still, he’s kept his ratings in positive territory and focused on ensuring efforts to oppose GOP policies and politicians have the resources to succeed.

From 2010 to 2016, progressives in North Carolina did a great job of keeping pressure on Republicans through grassroots engagement. Outside of the party structure, movements like Moral Mondays and a progressive infrastructure kept the spotlight on GOP missteps like HB2. They needed an elected leader, though, to take the fight to the next level. They got one in Cooper.

4 Comments

  1. mmmason

    whistling past the grave yard…

  2. Norma Munn

    I agree that Cooper has shown a lot of “fight” but I am less certain that it has been effective, or that the NC Democrats battle tested operatives are the road to future success. Perhaps I am just in a sour mood about the entire political arena, or still do not know NC well enough. One barometer for me are the Letters to the Editor, and they are too often pretty much the same as a year ago. Another measure for me is the conversations I overhear, regardless of whether I wish to or not, in the coffee shop or local restaurant. Sneering at Hillary is still a staple, and characterizing Trump as a good business man just being pilloried by the press and the “establishment” and calling Obama a weak failure are at least a once a week occurrence. Maybe I just have lunch in the wrong places! In the long run, much will depend on how the new districts are drawn and whether the economy improves in rural/small town NC (and the US).

    • margaret

      Good gad!
      Where are you eating your lunch?
      I may be in my own bubble but it surely ain’t yours.
      Good luck either finding a better bubble or showing your lunch-mates the light!

    • TY Thompson

      There are certainly a lot of cross currents in this political environment. Cooper was a bright spot for Dems nationally. They’ll do whatever it takes to ensure his success because he’s become their talisman, and things look bleak all over including the fact that the National Party is technically broke, with the DNC still over $3 million in outstanding debt. Personally, I think pushing these lawsuits over redistricting was a blunder because it allows the Reps an excuse to reinforce their map advantage just 36 months before the all-important 2020 election. UNLESS, the Supremes do rule against partisan gerrymanders in the Wisconsin case…but that’s a big If.

Related Posts

GET UPDATES

Get the latest posts from PoliticsNC delivered right to your inbox!

You have Successfully Subscribed!