Worst Week in Raleigh: NC House Democrats

by | Jan 9, 2015 | 2016 Elections, Carolina Strategic Analysis, Democrats, Features, NC House Races, NC Politics | 36 comments

The legislative session hasn’t even started yet and already NC House Democrats have won the first “worst week in Raleigh” award for the year 2015. This dubious honor was cemented when Paul Tine (former D-Kitty Hawk) announced he was ending his affiliation with the Democratic Party and was going to become a registered Unaffiliated who would caucus with House Republicans.

The switch in Tine is yet another nail in the coffin of the old-school, rural, moderate Democrat, of which there are still a handful left in the legislature. The bad news is that they might not be Democrats for very long. Tine’s fallout with his party apparently came from a dispute with the leadership and it appears other moderates in the caucus share Tine’s discontent and could be preparing to jump ship. Just yesterday Ken Waddell (D-Columbus) said he’s “satisfied” with being a Democrat but is “keeping all options open.” Not very reassuring words if you’re a Tar Heel Democrat.

Tine’s departure and the potential for other party-switchers could accelerate the leftward movement of the state Democratic Party, the support of which is increasingly confined to minorities and wealthy white liberals, a coalition which presently is too narrow to command a statewide majority. Dallas Woodhouse chimed in yesterday and noted that despite millions of dollars spent and all the Moral Monday rallies, Democrats managed to pick up a net of only two seats in the General Assembly in the last election. The conversion of Paul brings that total to one.

NC House Democrats, for losing one of your own to the other party before the legislative session even begins and sparking yet more columns about a party in decline, y’all win the “Worst Week in Raleigh” award. Better luck next week.

36 Comments

  1. Dallas Woodhouse

    The Democrats beat 4 House incumbents, Stone, Murry,Moffit and Ramsey. Gop picked up the open Winkie Wilkins seat (Larry Yarborough) for a net of Dems plus three in the house.

    GOP picked up one Senate seat by beating Gene McLaurin for total of plus two after election night.

    Tine’s party switch made it a Dems Plus 1

  2. Jason

    I think the sad reality — that nobody wants to address — is that a majority of North Carolina citizens, especially in the rural areas, agree with practically everything the state GOP is doing here.

    Go out and talk to folks in these areas. The views that many see as “fringe” are commonplace in rural areas. These people see the fringe views as “commonsense solutions.” They view the near-collapse of state government as necessary to prosperity. They see starving public schools, community colleges, and universities of public dollars as productive and leading to efficiency. They see state-worker layoffs as somehow helping the average person in North Carolina. They see closing publicly funded zoos, parks, recreation areas, welcome centers, historic sites, and attractions as means to prosperity.

    They also largely don’t know the difference between what is federally, state, and locally funded.

    On top of it, a lot of local media does no good for the cause. An example: in Greenville, NC there is a television station called “WITN.” It often (a) frames its news articles to make it sound like the public is benefiting from government reductions, (b) frames its viewer polls so that you sound stupid if you vote *against* government reductions, and (c) leaves out news items that frame government in a positive light.

    North Carolina needs education — not just for its children but for its adults, as well.

    • Mick

      Jason: You are right on point. It may be more conspicuous in rural areas, but it’s prevalent everywhere. I’m in a position to get out a lot and be at many different public venues/settings, and converse with or overhear “average Joes and Janes” vent about politics and social matters.

      There is a large sub-culture within which anything that can be painted as starving government, as resisting change from any traditional ways/thinking, and as preventing others from getting any sort of public help (themselves excluded, of course) is roundly supported. The notion of making long-term investments in the future (e.g., in upgrading transportation infrastructure, increasing education funding, protecting natural resources) has little currency.

      • Gregorius Caroline du Nord

        Mick you and your ilk just want to grow an all powerful, centralized government. Be honest, if you could do away with federalism and many (if not most) of our Constitutional protections limiting government, you would in a heartbeat.
        Investments you call them? Well we invested a trillion dollars in a stimulus that was supposed to address our infrastructure problems, but “shovel ready” turned out to be not so shovel ready. However Planned Parenthood and Acorn and SEIU and a myriad of other leftists groups took up the slack, no problem.
        You people don’t understand freedom and never will. You’re are like the old guy in the white Buick going 55 in a 70, you just want to be at the front of the line and hold everybody back because in the end you are jealous, envious and afraid. It’s all about control and you’re no better than some Mullah in Iran or Leonid Brezhnev on his best day.
        I actually feel sorry (sometimes) for you leftists, you’re like frightened children.

        • RedHotPoker

          these days most all leftists were largely government screwled and indoctrinated…thats what government screwls do now…promote the leftwing
          government dependent agenda…sickening.

    • Gregorius Caroline du Nord

      To start with WITN is in Washington, NC not Greenville.
      You’re letter perfectly demonstrates the disconnect between independent, self-reliant, hard working middle-class folk who respect freedom and guys like you, hyperbolic (near hysterical) leftists who think if government is not involved it’s an illegitimate enterprise. The sky is always falling with you people, and when the sky does actually fall (as with our current absurdly incompetent President) everything is just peaches and cream.

  3. Jimmy Rouse

    We have the leader and he must step forward to take over the North Carolina Democratic Party. That person is Rev. Barber. He commands respect from both the left and right and we are ready to march shoulder to shoulder with Rev. Barber. He should run for Governor and I think his candidacy would take back the North Carolina General Assembly.

    Join me in supporting Rev. Barber as North Carolina’s next Democratic Governor and leader of our beloved party.

    Thank you.

    • Gregorius Caroline du Nord

      I don’t know about all this “respect” you referred to, but I would love to see the Rev Barber run! It would be absolutely hilarious!

    • George Greene

      Rev. Barber does not command any respect from the right, despite the fact that he offers some, at least verbally. He pays that lip-service for two reasons. The first is that he is old enough to remember when there were decent Republicans. The second is that his base in the NAACP and the church is by LAW, NECESSARILY, NON-partisan. That presumably is all by itself one of the reasons why he failed to pull Hagan across the finish line. He could NOT, LEGALLY, come right out and SAY, after having (legally) said (for months, at large rallies) that most of what the Republican supermajority in the legislature was doing was evil, that “what we must do to cure this is VOTE DEMOCRATIC”. He could talk about turnout and the importance of voting in general, but he was never at liberty to pursue his own argument to its logical conclusion. I think he is aware that different people have different roles to play. Pat Robertson and Franklin Graham (on the other side) are very effective despite not being candidates themselves.

    • RedHotPoker

      Hilarious! I AGREE! I want my Governor to resemble a Mardi Gras Float on feet!

  4. Leon Perry

    Real Democrats don’t become independents or Republicans. This particular moderate Democrat from Kitty Hawk appears to be conservative Republican. So let him join the Walter Jones in showing his true allegiances. I say good riddance.

  5. fish19843

    I don’t like the way this article frames the latest news in terms of a weaker or “narrower” coalition of wealthy whites and minorities in the Dem. Party. First of all– that’s as opposed to the coalition of poor whites and rich whites in the Rep. Party… so because there are black people in the Dem. Party it’s somehow narrower than the all white Repubs? I don’t want to be a cheerleader for the Dems either; but instead of name-calling the Liberals “narrow” of all things, let’s look at some other structural things (gerrymandering, campaign finance laws) that might have contributed to the Rep. from Kitty Hawk wanting to exercise his rights.

  6. Richard Pigossi

    Good stuff. The greater the Republican vote now the greater the probability that the whole miserable bunch will overplay their hand, a la Tim Moffitt, and prepare the way for a reversal in 2016 when NC voters regain their senses.

    • RedHotPoker

      We’re pretty sure that Mr. Moffitt, once THE MOST influential NC House Rep, will return
      to scene. He’s youngish, brilliant, and knowledgeable without trying to fleece the public all the time like democrackkks DO. Dumbcum County LOST out big time in the last election,
      in terms of NC legislative CLOUT.

      • Mick

        Moffitt lost because he didn’t meet muster with his district’s constituents. His so-called “brilliance” somehow didn’t stop him from supporting things the majority of his district’s voters didn’t like, such as legislation to transfer the Asheville water system away from city government control, a weak coal ash remediation bill, and fracking. Some called his water system transfer antics spiteful and punitive against the city. Me? I just call them stupid.

        • RedHotPoker

          yep too many RINOs in Buncombe with NO backbone…most used to be ‘crackkks.

  7. Jim Heim

    It’s high time we say goodbye to the ‘moderate’ (or blue dog) Democrats. Our losses will mount until we stand for something that benefits the 99%. When the middle class prospers, our lives get better. Those who prefer job security over fundamental Democratic principles are welcome to find a new home.

    • Troy

      There was a time Jim when job security was a fundamental Democratic principle. So were fair wages, working conditions, and benefits.

      I see this same sentiment written time and again about moderate Democrats and the need that they be made passé. Frankly, I’m of the view that there needs to be more of them. Whether it’s real or perceived in a matter of opinion, but people (read that voters) are more afraid of ultra-liberalism and they fear it more than starving or being homeless.

      Otherwise, how else can you rationally explain Republicans gaining in the last election in the wake of Republican excesses and beating up on the poor, jobless, teachers, and schools?

      People see ultra-liberals as being not that different from Republicans; heard that before on this very web-site? So in the face of what is perceived as a socialistic utopian vision, devoid of religion, property rights, and ‘freedom’ as that word is smeared around, they roll the dice and take their chances with what they know. They know the Republicans don’t care about them, but they also know they aren’t going to change that much either.

      In that paradigm, it’s the lesser of two perceived evils.

      • cosmicjanitor

        When the voters finally stand and demand ‘vote tabulation verification’ most of Wynne’s GOP legislator’s will be doing the perp walk. When are NC. voters going to open their eyes to these rigged election results!! – there is no way the GOP could have won these last election victories after what we have heard and watched them do since taking office. In this last election, NC. exit polls showed that 64% of all voters who turned-out to vote favored a minimum wage increase – duh, so then, how did ‘the prone to dissembling’ Mr. Tillis win his senate bid? are you going to believe that 16% of the voters who favored a minimum wage increase turned around and then voted for a GOP candidate? Our ballots, once run through the tabulation machine, should be handed back to us to be given to ‘officially’ designated exit poll workers at the precincts so that the vote totals can transparently verified period. If we demanded vote verification there wouldn’t be a republican NC. legislator one and Mr. Wynne’s bravado would be so seen for what it is: so much hot-air; if we don’t we will soon be a totally controlled republican country. As Stalin said: ‘I care not how someone votes, only for who counts the vote’, and there was a good reason for his sentiment!

        • Troy

          Perceptive questions all. I don’t understand it either, except from the perspective that I addressed my former commentary. There is the possibility of course that people just simply lie on the exit polling. I’ve known people simply that deceptive to protect how they voted. But 16% of voter turn-out would be a lot of needed absolution.

          Amschel Rothschild famously quipped, “but let me issue and control the money and I care not who makes the laws.” We see who controls the money and ala Supreme Court where it is being allowed its influence. Combining Stalin and Rothschild makes for a solid Republican controlled power structure.

    • TY Thompson

      So if I’m hearing you correctly, that’s why Kay Hagan lost? Because she was the most moderate Senator?

      • Jim Heim

        No. Hagan lost because she was not much of a Democrat. Running away from Obama and supporting lunatic ideas like quarantining West Africa helped keep our base at home. We need officeholders who will advance Democratic ideals, even when Republicans are offended.

        There is no magic to being in the middle. Sometimes one side is right.

        If you and I get on an airliner in Raleigh and I want to go to New York while you want to go to Los Angeles, landing in Kansas City won’t help either of us.

  8. Judy hunt

    Democrat party needs a charismatic and smart moderate to walk the middle /left or what is better called common sense path . Then the party can be rebuilt . I believe there is a strong sentiment for that type of leadership but where is the leader ?

    • Charles Evans

      Thanks, Judy. Good to hear from you!! Please give our best wishes from Becky and me to your Mom and Dad. Charles Evans

    • RedHotPoker

      they’ve run their course in NC, and really the NCDP should be shut down due to rampant criminality for DECADES. even the merely registered democrackkk should be considered a criminal, right ? 😉

  9. Adam

    Some backstory; Tine’s switch has been a couple of years in the making, part of an effort by the NCGOP and House GOP Caucus to block the rise of Tea Party influence in the Outer Banks. They cut loose their 2012 nominee, Tea Party leader Mattie Lawson, and left her out to dry. Thus, going into 2014, Tine had a big fundraising advantage thanks to incumbency, and the NCGOP had a compliant party-switcher in the seat instead of a conservative rebel they couldn’t control.

    So Tillis & co. apparently decided they’d rather have an Obama Democrat in the House GOP Caucus than Mattie Lawson.

    http://dailyhaymaker.com/?p=10192

  10. Randy Voller

    From what I understand NC was the only state with a GOP controlled General Assembly that made any pick ups at all during this last election. In addition the redistricting of 2011 could have created districts that yielded more seats for Democrats, but decisions were made to force the maps we are working under due to a belief that the worse they were the more likely Democrats and various groups were to prevail in a lawsuit. So far that strategy did not work and citizens are stuck with the districts that we have currently.

    • Gregorius Caroline du Nord

      Randy that’s the point isn’t it? In an off year election typically the party in power LOSES seats, not so this time around. Plus I wouldn’t worry too much about gerrymandering. It’s the spoils of war and Lord knows the Democrats have done it in spades.

      • RedHotPoker

        thats the damn TRUTH! how many NC democrackkks have gone to PRISON over
        corruption and criminality? lost count…

  11. Mike L

    I’m afraid at this point Democrats best hope is that 1 more Democratic judge is elected to the State Supreme Court in time for lawsuits related to the next round of redistricting…otherwise unless Democrats become more evenly distributed across the state we are going to be stuck in a cycle of GOP reinforcing their gerrymandering every 10 yrs…

  12. Mick

    So, John, you seem to be gloating not only over this Dem loss, but over a future prospect of the NCGA pretty much being a wholly-owner entity of the NCGOP. Good luck on the latter.

    State demographics are moving against that tide (extreme gerrymandering is only slowing it for now), and there always has to be an alternative for voters to turn to when they are unhappy, and/or when those in power screw up, succumb to scandal, embarrass themselves or the state, and past idiotic/unpopular laws. And the voters’ option is not gonna be libertarians nor tea partiers…….

  13. John Wynne

    I think if anyone else switched parties he’d be the first to do so.

  14. Harry Johnson

    Didn’t they net three in November? (Adcock, Ager, Salmon, Turner minus Wilkins’ seat)? This brings them down to two.

    • John Wynne

      Don’t forget the GOP gained a seat in the Senate! That plus Tine’s switch gives them a net of one.

      • Harry Johnson

        Ah, I thought you were referring to the House only.

  15. Tim Peck

    What about Brisson?

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