GOP, Kochs eye North Carolina gains

[illegaloperation]

The GOP lost big nationally in 2012, but may have found the key to future success in one southern state.

Cash from groups backed by the Koch brothers and others helped North Carolina Republicans build a robust conservative infrastructure and fundraising network, leading to the GOP winning both the governor’s mansion and the state legislature in the same year for the first time since

That takeover didn’t come overnight, but it caught Democrats by surprise, especially since Barack Obama carried the state in 2008 and lost only by 2 percentage points last year.

The hope, say conservatives, is to replicate their successes elsewhere.

“Getting dramatic economic change at the federal level is very difficult,” said Tim Phillips, president of the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity. “A few years ago, the idea we had was to create model states. North Carolina was a great opportunity to do that – more so than any other state in the region. If you could turn around a state like that, you could get real reform.”

Since November, change has come quickly.

Gov. Pat McCrory appointed a Koch ally and major Republican donor, Art Pope, as the state’s budget director.

In the legislature, Republicans are expected to pass an overhaul of the state’s tax code, the public education system and election laws, including a controversial voter ID bill. The state House on Monday voted to allow concealed weapons on college campuses, at sporting events and in businesses that serve alcohol.

Several other measures, such as one that would establish Christianity as the official state religion, are not expected to pass but have made national headlines in recent weeks.

And last month, Pope proposed eliminating public financing for judicial races, and McCrory canned members of the State Board of Elections just as the board announced an investigation into contributions made to governor’s campaign.

Democrats are still trying to figure out what happened.

“I’ll do anything for an hour with David Axelrod and for him to tell us what do to,” said Martin Nesbitt, a top Democrat in the state Senate.

There’s fear on the left that the outside cash and gerrymandered districts means the bad news isn’t over. Sen. Kay Hagan, won on the coattails of Obama’s 2008 win but is considered vulnerable next year. Rep. Mike McIntyre, who was re-elected by fewer than 600 votes last year, is also a top Republican target.

The Republican establishment has taken notice. McCrory gave the Republican weekly radio address last Saturday and Karl Rove is scheduled to speak at the state GOP convention next month in Charlotte. (A Rove spokesman declined to elaborate on the speech.)

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/koch-brothers-republicans-north-carolina-91200.html#ixzz2T25WZ89L

[illegaloperation]

1. We are definitely losing grip of North Carolina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_party_strength_in_North_Carolina

[mgcgulfcoast]

12. disagree

we will win by +5 in 2016

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. my wife and I are starting to ponder where to move (as empty nesters and retired,

we need to downsize). We were thinking Asheville...but more and more think we need to get out of this increasingly embarrassing (politically speaking) state. VT or the PNW may end up being tops on our list.

[Cha]

6. I wish you good luck in your quest.. We lived in Asheville, NC

In the '70s. It's so Beautiful. That was way back before I was into politics, though. It would be hard to see how NC has changed from 2008 to now. Bet, James Taylor's not liking the spiral, either.

I can only hope that the Pendelum must swing the other way after the rats take over for awhile.

PNW?

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. Pacific NW - our daughter is about to move to Seattle, and we also love

Portland and the Oregon coast...so an option (though I suspect expensive)

[Cha]

11. What a coincidence.. my daughter just called me

from Portland, Ore! They love it, of course. Good Luck!

[Newest Reality]

3. That's the new strategy.

It is working. It seems like it is time for liberals, progressives and anybody who is living in the affected states to either get very active and fight hard, (which may be a real challenge) or consider an exodus from the belly of this beast with tentacles -- not always an easy or practical thing to do.

I hope that more people will become aware of ALEC, since this spawn of Koch does have a definite agenda and has created cookie-cutter legislation that we have already seen in action.

This is obviously the battleground now and the regression and price to be paid look very unsettling. Some States could be flung into something we won't recognize if this continues, and it can create a cancerous, spreading malignancy.

http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

[hue]

8. YES! Your synopsis is on target!!

[auburngrad82]

4. The districts were gerrymandered against the Democrats

Democrats won 52% of the vote but only 37% of the seats.

A three panel of three judges have heard testimony and will be deciding this summer whether the redistricting by the GOP in 2010 should be thrown out. I hope it gets thrown out and 2014 has to use the old districts. It's a crime when you win the majority of votes but due to gerrymandering you only get a third of the seats.

[John2]

5. You can't

gerrymander a state wide election between the Governor and Senate. Governor Perdue didn't seek re-election because she made herself vulnerable by having her campaign tied to corruption. The Democratic Governor before her did the same and went to jail. Then you had the John Edwards crap. That corruption by Democratic officials in North Carolina made the local Party vulnerable along with the gerrymandering. Then you had the attack on the North Carolina NCAA stuff and the attack on Black History classes as irrelevant. They attacked the poor and nobody even mentioned the Racial Justice Act the Republicans repealed as soon as they took power. It is a systematic attack on liberals in North Carolina by the right. Now the populace is waking up from their Rip Van Winkle nap. The Election in 2010 was a very low turn out in North Carolina. The Tea Party just came right in and started their take over. There is one thing though, when they do wake up, people in North Carolina know how to get active. The truth is, they are pissing off more and more people now with those changes. I wouldn't be surprised if McCrory is Tarred and Feathered before his Term ends. The ground swell of protests will grow bigger. North Carolina isn't as Red as some people might think. The only Republican won by a significant margin was McCrory and he won that because of the corruption and a lot of people crossing over (Democrats) because of his record as mayor of Charlotte. He was a lot more moderate and Liberal as the mayor of Charlotte. He is bought and paid for by the Koch brothers. One of his first acts was to raise the salaries of his staff and hire outsiders from other red southern states. This is an assault on North Carolinians liberties. I just heard a paid for ad by them attacking Obamacare and claiming it was going to make cuts to Hospitals. So must have meant cuts to her profits.

[illegaloperation]

13. How did it gets past Perdue?

All the other states the Republicans were able to push their gerrymandered map through have Republican governors.

[Cha]

7. The gop "successes" are based on Lies and gerrymandering. I hope

with their power grab it will backfire and North Carolina will be Blue again.

We're with you Carolina Blue!

[illegaloperation]

14. Like I said asked above

How were the Republicans able to push the gerrymandered map past Perdue?

[davidpdx]

9. GOP Scheme

Buy elections, cut taxes on the rich, cut social services, cut public services, declare "Christianity" the official religion.