The US Senate race in North Carolina is getting more attention and Republicans are getting more nervous. Yesterday, Real Clear Politics moved the race from Lean Republican to Toss Up, indicating challenger Deborah Ross is going to give incumbent Republican Richard Burr a run for his money. And a Roll Call article this morning says the Democrats path to a Senate majority may run through North Carolina.
Once again, North Carolina is front and center on the national political stage. Last week, Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager listed NC as one the of the campaign’s top three priorities. The gubernatorial race is considered Democrats’ best chance for a pick up and Attorney General Roy Cooper leads incumbent Governor Pat McCrory both in polls and fundraising. Ross’s success in fundraising and organizing now puts three of the biggest races in the country in North Carolina.
Ross has impressed the political world. She out-raised Burr two quarters in a row and quickly put together a statewide campaign. Last week, she was the only challenger offered a chance to speak at a DSCC briefing for donors. Ross is clearly seen as one of the cycle’s rising stars.
In addition, the political environment right now seems to favor Democrats in the state. House Bill 2 has energized progressives and the Clinton campaign is putting together a massive field operation. The court of appeals rebuked voter suppression laws last week, removing barriers that could dampen Democratic turnout.
And on top of it all, Donald Trump may be melting down. He’s fighting with the parents of a soldier who died in Iraq instead of fighting with Hillary Clinton. His convention was the most unsuccessful in modern history and recent polls show that he’s losing white educated voters, a demographic he must win to have a chance in November.
A Trump collapse would mean large numbers of Republican-leaning voters who don’t vote in midterms would also stay home this year. For candidates like Ross, that’s the type of opening that sweeps them into office. To win any election, candidates need stars to align. For Ross, they’re moving into place.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
What a shame to hear such comments from residents of North Carolina. y’all have been drinking the koolaide given you by the pied piper of propaganda.
Deborah Ross is the epitome of liberal, leftist ,fascist, anti self defense, gun hating, American heritage hating, anti-Christian, pro- entitlement, pro-globalist, socialist, freedom destroying, big government loving, politician who cares about her career, and in promoting the globalist agenda that wants to destroy the US Constitution……..exactly the kind of politicians that I thought I fled New England to get away from, and here they are again…….those DEMONcrats who, when allowed to gain control of government, destroy everything that is good and just, and what have made this once Constitutional Republic a beacon of hope and freedom the world over.
Dear Mr. Darrell Parks, please, do not conflate the respect for the US Constitution with the idea that there is nothing “wrong with burning ‘The Flag.'” The Constitution is there to protect free speech even if that speech is repugnant. Just as the ACLU protected the right of the Ku Klux Klan to march in the south side of Chicago.
If Darrell Parks is a Trump and Burr supporter, he, like most of them, would demand the ACLU represent him if his free speech rights were curtailed by any politician or political party in power, especially the NC Lege. He would scream about freedom of speech and tyranny, and the ACLU would represent him (at no charge) even if the speech were pro-Nazi, anti-American, racist claptrap–as it was in the primarily Jewish community of Skokie, IL.
Then, having won his case — because the ACLU has a sterling track record of winning cases having to do with First Amendment rights — he would support candidates like Trump who have already promised to curtain free speech for anyone who doesn’t agree with him and shut down media outlets (including “the internet”) and change libel laws so news media could not criticize him.
That’s the world of the GOP, and its supporters. I can only assume that’s the world Darrell Parks seeks.
Typo alert: I meant “promised to curTAIL free speech” not “curtain” it. 🙂
An ACLU lawyer who doesn’t think anything is wrong with burning “The Flag” and refused to help a veteran keep a flag in his yard? I hope not.
Mostly irrelevant compared to issues like social security and Medicare–both of which Richard Burr attempted to cut.
By the way, Marist/NBC/WSJ released a poll today showing her 2 points ahead.
Sooooooooo….burning an American flag is ok in your sight?
I get it, seemingly “irrelevant” issue in your eyes, but, one that has larger repercussions in the big picture of freedom.
No one wants to talk about liberty anymore, rather they focus on the financial problems, which are important, but, nonchalantly dismissing the burning of your nations flag and dis respect to veterans and what the flag stands for, is troubling, and perhaps revealing an attitude that has allowed freedom to be destroyed by the likes of Deborah Ross.
Amen to that, she also despises the concept of a law abiding citizen carrying (bearing) a pistol in public, legally Of course, as a to of self defense, she is anti self defense and wants to do away with Ccw freedoms, and she hates self defense so much that she wants to change/eliminate “castle doctrine” and “stand your ground” self defense concepts that allow self defence against criminals.
She is also pro planned parent hood, and pro abortion…..You know, murdering babies all in the name of “freedom of choice”
And of course as you so well stated, she essentially is anti patriotism, anti heritage and does not hold military both current and veterans in high regard.
She needs to be chased out of NC back to the foreign nation of CONnecticut, where she will fit right in with the liberal progressive, culture so popular there.
Burr still ahead in every poll. The latest statewide poll, NBC/Marist, has Burr ahead by seven, his largest lead so far in the campaign. But you should believe the race is a “toss-up” if that makes you feel better.
That poll is over 3 weeks old. Given changes in almost every race since the conventions and the fact that it was way out of line with previous three or four polls, I doubt it is much of a guide. This is a close race, and given Burr’s status as an incumbent, it should not be. Ross has also out raised Burr in each of last two quarters, although he has more money on hand. The latter is usually the case for incumbents. Much will depend on Trump’s behavior over next few weeks and turnout in Nov. I’ll go with toss-up for now.
If overturning the repugnant voter id law also reinstates the one-check down-the-ballot party vote, Burr is in trouble. Big trouble. As will be McCrory.
You are correct, disgusted, voter turnout is a must.
The court’s ruling doesn’t reinstate the straight party-line vote, unfortunately.
Democrats have received a huge gift in the form of Trump and McCrory. The failings of both have been exposed on the national stage. Both are of the object of much deserved ridicule, and both are likely to reward their supporters with shock and disappointment. The question is: can the Democrats take advantage of it?
And what “failings” would you consider the greatest dangers to the future of liberty for you and your children, grandchildren, etc???