Re-election for Easley?

[leyton]

In the interest of jump-starting some discussion here...

I am no expert on North Carolina politics, but I wonder how Easley could not get re-elected. He doesn't seem to be taking any heat in the Charlotte Observer forum at least for the economic downturn. He's kept a low profile as far as I can tell - I've never seen him or heard about him, other than his NASCAR mishap.

Meanwhile, there is a wide field of Republican challengers. I had the "privelege" of attending the statewide Republican convention (it being in Charlotte, me being interested in politics, me knowing how to get in unnoticed) and meeting Sen. Ballantyne and George Little. Ballantyne wowed everyone at the convention and pretty much stole the show, and as Senate Minority Leader he seems to have a good chance. On the other hand, GOP Chair Cobey entered the race a while later, which makes me think that he thought the field was pretty weak.

So I think Easley will be re-elected - what about y'all?

[supernova]

1. Easley has the best name recognition

and that's a huge part of getting elected. Though Vinroot is close, having been mayor of Charlotte, he doesn't register with a lot of people here in the Triangle. I've seen a couple of Ballentyne stickers.

[leyton]

2. Vinroot's already been nominated at least once,

and I know he ran for governor in 1996 too but I can't remember if he got the nomination. Frankly, I can't see why they'd try a third time.

[supernova]

5. Yes, Vinroot has gotten the R nom for Gov

before, but I seem to remember something about him majorly sticking his foot in his mouth.

Vinroot is only marginally better spoken than * .

[Mr. Jinx]

17. You mean "Vichard Vinroot"?

As our well-spoken Fearless Leader referred to him on the campaign trail in 2000? ;)

[Jack from Charlotte]

23. How many times has Vinroot run for office and lost?

He was mayor here in Charlotte when I moved here in the early 90's. He runs for Gov and everytime a senate seat comes open and keeps losing. I think it's 3 straight losses.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. North Carolina usually elects Democratic Governors....

why would it be any different this time? Easley should "easily" be re-elected this fall.

[Jack from Charlotte]

4. It would not surprise me if he lost.......

I know so few democrats in this state..... Regardless as to anyones record, the repubs will trash any Democrat they're up against. I already heard ads here in Charlotte of some repub running against Easley trashing him for giving Tobacco companies big subsidies and allowing them to buy foreign tobacco.

[supernova]

6. Heh. Charlotte

explains why you know so few Dems. :hi: I lived there for 5 years. entirely too straight-laced for me.

But there are some very cool Dems in Charlotte. Have you hooked up with the Mecklenburg County Dems yet?

[leyton]

7. Charlotte isn't too bad.

The politics are largely Republican, but it's not too bad. We do have one Democratic Congressman (Mel Watt) and I don't have much of a problem with our long-serving Republican mayor. I live in a fairly liberal area near downtown and I find that most of the people around me at least are Democrats. Of course, it's not so in the suburbs to the Southeast, where the bulk of the population is.

[supernova]

9. Mel Watt is a classy guy

I remember the first time he got elected in '92. :D

It does my heart good to see him doing so well.

[leyton]

I heard him on the radio a few months back,

with Sue Myrick. He sounded very intelligent and reasoned; I was quite impressed. More importantly, I believe he was MVP for the Democratic House baseball team.

[supernova]

12. Tea kettles sound intelligent

next to Sue Myrick. :-)

But Mel is ever the gentleman. :-)

[Jack from Charlotte]

14. Question about Myrick......

I moved to Charlotte in '92 so it was before I got here in the late 80's but.... she had an affair with her current husband, named Myrick while he was still married to the 1st Mrs. Myrick. She was a city councilwoman at the time, I think.

Can anyone fill me in on this since it's pre Google internet days?

[GreenInNC]

30. Sue screwing around

I am pretty sure it was before Ms. Family Values was on council. Her current husband and his family moved in beside her and her family and I guess love was in the air.

What I can't believe is that Dems have never used this to show what a hypocrite she is.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

19. Mel's my congressman

I was a bit disappointed in him for ignoring my letters and emails on the WMD issue.

[blm]

8. Aren't you the doom and gloomer.

Bush is losing NC because of the miltary and their families who loathe him now.

The whole Dem ticket will do well in NC.

[leyton]

10. For NC downballot races, Kerry/Edwards is very good.

I don't know if Edwards would excite more people than he would piss off if he were at the top of the ticket, but I think Kerry and Edwards combined will excite a lot of veterans and moderates in North Carolina. Even if they don't carry the state, I think that they would help us a lot at the congressional level and the statewide level.

[supernova]

11. Agreed, blm

And it's about time we elected a Dem President, too!

I've never understood the whole Republican president thing anway, when so many of our local officials are Democrats. :wtf:

[Jack from Charlotte]

13. I hope you're right, but......

I'll bet if you ask pollsters, and even Dem. Party folks and they answered honestly ........ in privacy, I think they'd ALL say it'd be quite an upset if AWOL/Moron loses NC.

I think the middle 10-15% in about 15 to 20 battleground states will decide the election. NC isn't one of those states. Perhaps if Edwards is added to the ticket it could become one, I'm just not sure.

Of course, much can and will happen over the next 7 months. AWOL/moron can't point to one successful item in his presidency ......... OK maybe one. He didn't veto the "No Call List" Bill. Way to go, Idiot! Otherwise...... But that doesn't stop people from supporting him.

[blm]

15. NC is a military state with lots of military families.

They vote. Most aren't happy with BushInc.

[GainesT1958]

16. Yesterday Patrick Ballentine resigned his Senate seat...

A la Bob Dole in '96, so that he could run for governor full-time. Ideally, I'd like to see Vinroot get their nomination, but Ballentine is such a sarcastic ass--and an arrogant one, too--that I really feel Easley could beat him by double digits rather handily. Heck, Ballentine won't even dominate in his own region, as Easley conts S.E. N.C. as his base as well, having been D.A. down here (Brunswick County) for many years and being EXTREMELY popular with local law enforcement.

Of all the major offices in which we're looking for a close, hard-fought battle this year, I really don't think the governor's race will be one of them. I may be really off-base on saying this, but I don't think Easley has any serious worrying to do about returning to the Mansion on Blount Street next year!:D

Other than the presidency, the biggest state-wide race that has me concerned is the Senate race, and getting Erskine Bowles in there.

B-)

[phillybri]

18. He would need a pretty bad blow-up...

The crew of GOP geniuses will most likely cannibalize itself.

They're some real winners...:eyes:

[Jack from Charlotte]

24. If he trashes one more NASCAR he'll lose the vote of the guys in .....

the infield with the Earnhardt shirts and the PBRs.

[yardwork]

20. Easley is fairly conservative and strong on law-and-order

which appeals to lots of Democrats in North Carolina. I agree that his reelection is likely, unless something unexpected happens between now and the election.

I hope that Bowles gets the senate seat - that's a lot more difficult, and Bowles will have to fight off references to his time with the Clinton team. Clinton is still hugely unpopular here.

I expect a massive infusion of Republican money, push-polls, and dirty ads attacking the entire Democratic slate, but.....

....if things continue the way that they are going in Iraq and the economy, I think that Kerry has a chance of winning in North Carolina. If he does, it will probably be as part of a national electoral college landslide.

That is supposing that polling shenanigans are kept to a minimum.

[supernova]

21. Actually, Erskine got pretty good polling numbers

last time. He just didn't have enought time to pull close.

The Clinton connection didn't do much and in fact helped where it was mentioned.

Remember, most people here knew of Erskine long before he joined the Clinton team.

[comsymp]

25. Was wondering if I was the only one who thought Kerry might have a chance

You & BLM have hit on a couple important points that are going to resonate with NC voters~ of course, it would help to 1) have Edwards on the ticket and 2) for them to not write us off.

Kerry's got a ready-made wedge into the South if he has the brains/guts to use it. Having NC go Dem at the top would finally break the back of Nixon's Southern Strategy and affect DC politics for years to come.


ON EDIT: Since this is an Easley thread, I'd be surprised to see him lose, barring something pretty serious, a la Phipps. And if Vinroot gets the R nom, it would help mobilize the moderate Dems, which would ripple up and down the ticket... I hope.

[leyton]

26. I doubt it, but Kerry/Edwards is the best chance.

Veterans plus a Democratic Senator, not a bad combo if you want to win NC. (Excluding tickets like Easley/Edwards or Hunt/Helms or something like that.)

[supernova]

27. Re: Vinroot

We should be so lucky if that sanctimonious twit is renominated. :D

I still have a hard time believing the same city that produced Harvey Gantt also produced Richard Vinroot. :crazy:

[BigThama]

22. I think he'll go down.

In my experience, he's not a very popular governor among moderates. Many see him as a single-issue candidate (the lottery).

[struggle4progress]

28. I think he could pull it off again:

I think he's actually likeable in person, understands ordinary folk, is politically scrappy without seeming to be so, and plays the game well. That doesn't mean I've liked everything he's gone for, but the Republicans have always seems nuts in comparison.

[Thrill]

29. I always thought

Easley should of ran for Edwards seat in the Senate. And Edwards should run for his Governor spot. That is the experince Edwards needs for his next presidential bid