NORTH CAROLINA OPEN THREAD Sunday, May 22, 2022
366th Weekly Edition
This is a weekly feature of North Carolina Blue. We hope this weekly platform gives readers interested in North Carolina politics a place to share their knowledge, insight and inspiration as we work on taking back our state from some of the most extreme Republicans in the nation. Please join us every week. You can also join the discussion in four other weekly State Open Threads. If you are interested in starting your own state blog, weekly to occasionally, we will list your work below.
Colorado: Mondays, 7:00 PM Mountain Michigan: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Eastern North Carolina: Sundays, 1:00 PM Eastern Missouri: Wednesday Evenings Kansas: Monday Evenings
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POSTED COVID data 5/22/2022 1:00pm EDT
Click here for Covid-19 data from Worldometer Real Time World Statistics.
USA NC Total Cases New Cases Total Deaths New Deaths Total Recovered Active Cases 5-8-22 2,673,326 24,577 2,628,584 20,165
5-15-22 2,691,805 24,588 2,640,452 26,765
5-22-22 2,715,798 24,627 2,654,726 36,445
‘His party left him’: From common sense conservative to COVID, Pat McCrory’s very bad week
NC Policy Watch, Clayton Henkle, 5/20/2022
No doubt there is a lot of armchair quarterbacking in the aftermath of an election that does not go as planned. That is most certainly the case this week for Pat McCrory. The former Republican governor and Charlotte mayor had hoped to secure his party’s nomination Tuesday for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Richard Burr.
But voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly selected Ted Budd with 59% of the vote to McCrory’s 25%. (Budd will face former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley in November’s General Election.)
“The Republican party has changed since Pat McCrory most recently won, and Pat McCrory didn’t change along with it,” explained Meredith College political scientist David McLennan.
McLennan, who appears this weekend on NC Policy Watch’s News & Views, said while McCrory tried to appeal to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) voters, he also reverted to calling himself a Reagan Republican.
“Fifteen or 20 years ago it would have made sense, but now it doesn’t make sense,” McLennan said. “So his party left him, he didn’t leave his party.”
McCrory ends the week in isolation, having contracted COVID in the final hours of his U.S. Senate bid.
BISHOP AND CAWTHORN'S "AMERICA FIRST" PUTS FREEDOM LAST
Blue NC, 5/22/2022
If anyone is seeking a credible litmus test to determine if an officeholder truly believes in freedom, justice and civility, they need look no further then how they vote on aid for the Ukrainians’ defense of their homes and nation against the unwarranted and unjust deadly aggression by Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin. Two North Carolinians – Republicans Dan Bishop of Charlotte and Madison Cawthorn of Hendersonville – fail the test miserably and in doing so, demonstrate they lack the humanity and integrity to represent the state or nation. “America First” – Donald Trump’s slogan with roots in the isolationist, anti-immigration anti-Semitic slogan of opponents of U.S. involvement in efforts to oppose the aggression of the German Nazis a century ago – does not mean freedom last. America, Cawthorn and Bishop don’t seem to realize, is the world’s beacon of freedom. Their vote is a rejection of all this nation stands for. They don’t represent the real America. Cawthorn has screwed up so many times in the last several weeks it's hard to tell which controversy sunk him. I'd like to think it was his attack on Zelenskyy and not something stupid like wearing lingerie, but we can't afford to take that for granted. https://www.wral.com/editorial-bishop-and-cawthorn-s-america-first-puts-freedom-last/20287392/
Weekend Wound-Up-Madison Cawthorn goes full-on Nazi after losing his Primary
Blue NC, 520/2022
“It’s time for the rise of the new right, it’s time for Dark MAGA to truly take command,” Cawthorn, 26, wrote on Instagram. “We have an enemy to defeat, but we will never be able to defeat them until we defeat the cowardly and weak members of our own party. Their days are numbered. We are coming.” Twitter users describe “Dark MAGA” — a take on Trump’s Make America Great Again slogan — as a group that believes there’s no political solution beyond vengeance, Newsweek reported, and that the former president has been too kindhearted and forgiving to his political opponents. It also has ties to neo-Nazi and white supremacy, Business Insider reported.
Aside from the fact we have yet to see a "light" MAGA, this is a typical reaction from an immature, spoiled rotten man-child.
Another Election Day that most North Carolinians will sit out
NC Policy Watch, Rob Schofield, 5/17/2022
Today is primary Election Day in North Carolina. Across our state, voters will make scores of important decisions about the future of our democracy.
In many places, Democrats and Republicans will select the two finalists in a host of key contests – from the U.S. Senate to the state legislature to the state courts. In many others, where one party or the other dominates, today’s vote will effectively decide the outcome of the election. Especially in the midst of such a tumultuous historical period, it’s a day of tremendous significance.
Unfortunately, here’s another fact about this year’s primary (and primaries generally): the overwhelming majority of North Carolinians will remain on the sidelines. Based on past performance, it’s almost a sure thing that four out of every five voters – and maybe even six out of seven – will not participate.
North Carolina has conducted eight primary elections in non-presidential years since 1990 and the average turnout has been just under 15.6%. The high-water mark was 21.21% in 2002 when the primary was delayed until September. The low point was 11.92% in 2006. Turnout in presidential year primaries is better, but still scandalously low. It’s averaged just over 31% since 1988.
Why NC Republicans aren’t planning to immediately try banning abortion
Charlotte Observer, 5/18/2022
RALEIGH, N.C. — Republican legislators in North Carolina are not necessarily clamoring to quickly join other GOP-led states in fully outlawing abortion — even with the Supreme Court expected to overturn Roe v. Wade in the coming weeks and allow states to set stricter abortion rules than in the past.
Wednesday was the first day of the 2022 legislative session, which may only last a month or two, and N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore told reporters his main focus is going to be on the budget. Any attempts at passing further restrictions on abortion, he said, likely won’t happen until next year.
In part that’s because Republicans assume anything they try passing now would fail.
“The politics, frankly, is we have a governor who I know would veto any legislation,” Moore said. “And we don’t have a supermajority.”
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has indeed vetoed both of the two abortion-related bills that Republicans have passed during his time as governor. Each time, a handful of Democrats sided with the GOP on the bills. But Democrats have enough seats in the legislature that Republicans were nevertheless unable to gather enough votes to override Cooper’s vetoes and pass the bills into law.
The following is a re-post of yesterday’s DKos Asheville Open Thread dedicated to Madison’s primary loss
Not funny: Critics explain how Madison Cawthorn's 'Dark MAGA' revenge declaration could be a threat to public safety
Raw Story, Bob Brigham, 5/19/2022
Rep. Madison Cawthorn suffered further humiliation on Thursday after calling for a "Dark MAGA" movement to defeat "cowardly and weak" Republicans.
Cawthorn's comments came two days after he became the youngest Republican congressman to lose a primary.
"There are other National figures who I believe are patriots, but I am on a mission now to expose those who say and promise one thing yet legislate and work towards another, self-profiteering, globalist goal. The time for gentile (sic) politics as usual has come to an end," he wrote. "It’s time for the rise of the new right, it’s time for Dark MAGA to truly take command."
"We have an enemy to defeat, but we will never be able to defeat them until we defeat the cowardly and weak members of our own party. Their days are numbered. We are coming," he threatened.
Reporter booted out of Madison Cawthorn party describes 'stunning and sudden desertion of his closest allies'
Raw Story, Sarah K. Burris, 5/19/2922
Independent reporter John Bowden, who was there to cover Cawthorn's election night party, says he was asked to leave by the Hendersonville, North Carolina police who were on hand. The event was in a small auto detailer and tire shop where Cawthorn operated his campaign.
The crowd fled once it became clear that Cawthorn lost, and Bowden writes that he "witnessed a stunning and sudden desertion of Cawthorn’s closest supporters and allies as it became clear that he’d lost."
Bowden noted that while Cawthorn was suffering a defeat, Sen. Chuck Edwards' campaign was still partying. He was shaking hands and taking photos. Cawthorn's lights were out — in more ways than one.
Madison Cawthorn calls for ‘Dark MAGA’ movement to defeat 'cowardly and weak' Republicans
Raw Story, Bob Brigham, 5/18/2022
Controversial Rep. Madison Cawthorn lashed out at his critics on Thursday after Republican voters made him the youngest member of Congress to lose a primary.
Controversial Rep. Madison Cawthorn lashed out at his critics on Thursday after Republican voters made him the youngest member of Congress to lose a primary.
"When the establishment turned their guns on me, when the Uni-party coalesced to defeat an America First member very few people had my back. This list includes the lion share of figures that came to my defense when it was not politically profitable," he wrote.
The list included Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), along with Fox News personality Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon, among others.
Former Trump aide bursts out laughing after hearing Madison Cawthorn praise former president's 'loyalty'
Raw Story, Sarah K. Burris, 5/18/2022
After losing the Republican Primary in North Carolina, Rep. Madison Cawthorn gave a speech in a small room of supporters before the race was called. He told the room that the one thing that became clear to him is that former President Donald Trump was a very loyal man to his allies.
"The thing I love about President Trump is that when you get your back pushed up against the wall I found that most people in politics if it's not politically expedient for them they'll turn their back on you in a heartbeat. But no matter what you are facing, when Donald Trump has your back, he has your back to the end," said Cawthorn.
Speaking on Wednesday's episode of "The View," former Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham explained that it clearly wasn't the case for her or anyone else in Trump World.
"Is he kidding?" asked Joy Behar.
Madison Cawthorn slams the GOP for having a 'loser’s mentality' in election night defeat rant
Raw Story, Bob Brigham, 5/17/2022
Rep. Madison Cawthorn blasted the leadership of the Republican Party after North Carolina Republican voters made him the youngest congressman to lose re-election.
Cawthorn lost to state Sen. Chuck Edwards.
"In rapid succession, Mr. Cawthorn, who entered Congress as a rising star of the party’s far-right, has been accused of falsely suggesting that his Republican colleagues routinely throw cocaine-fueled orgies, insider trading and an inappropriate relationship with a male aide. This week, he was detained at an airport, where police said he tried to bring a loaded handgun onto an airplane, the second time he has attempted that," The New York Times reported in April. "That came just days after pictures surfaced of him wearing women’s lingerie as part of a cruise ship game, imagery that might not go over well in the conservative stretches of his Western North Carolina district. And last month he was charged with driving with a revoked license for the second time since 2017."
Cawthorn discussed his scandals before calling Edwards to concede.
Madison Cawthorn just set a record
Raw Story, Bob Brigham, 5/17/2022
The youngest man in Congress lost his bid to be renominated by the Republican Party following a string of scandals.
North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn lost to state Sen. Chuck Edwards.
Cawthorn's campaign was hit with a "series of scandals," the Charlotte Observer noted.
"It began when he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a thug” and the Ukrainian government “evil.” It escalated when he went on a podcast and said his congressional colleagues participated in orgies and did key bumps of cocaine," the newspaper reported. "From there he was charged with driving with a revoked license, was caught at an airport for the second time with a gun, accused of insider trading, while photos of him draped in lingerie on a cruise ship and a video of him naked in bed with another person leaked."
'Complete and utter idiot': GOP strategist explains Madison Cawthorn's loss
Raw Story, Bob Brigham, 5/17/2022
Rep. Madison Cawthorn suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of North Carolina voters on Tuesday.
"Republican discontent stretched beyond traditional figures such as Tillis. 'No one from the Freedom Caucus guys to people in MAGA world are happy with how he conducted himself,' says one ally of Donald Trump," Collins reported. "There is a sense that he had behaved even worse than controversial figures such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, who, for all inflammatory rhetoric, was not viewed as “super conceited and cocky.” Another plugged-in Republican strategist put it more bluntly: “The guy is just a total f*ckup and shows the limits of patience and tolerance that the MAGA movement has for complete and utter idiots. It’s breaking laws and recklessness in personal behavior.”
NC-11
I’m running because Western North Carolina deserves much better leadership than we've been getting.
Mark Meadows represented this district before he left the post to go be Donald Trump’s chief of staff. Madison Cawthorn has used his position to promote dangerous extremism and build his brand of toxic politics in order to become a celebrity on the fringes of the far-right. Chuck Edwards represents more of the same, and is out of step with the values of our community. Now this is one of the most competitive districts in North Carolina and we have a huge opportunity to offer a new kind of leadership grounded in empathy, compassion and doing what’s right by our neighbors.
I consider it a privilege to represent this area as a county commissioner. My wife and I are raising our three kids here. I am deeply invested in the success of our region and I see firsthand the urgent needs of our communities everyday. And I’m running to show up and work every day to figure out ways to make things better for the people of WNC.
An organizer to my core, I’m building a campaign that will connect with voters in every corner of the district. That means knocking on doors of people who haven’t heard from a campaign in years, talking to folks who have disengaged from the political process because it seems like elected officials don’t care about their lives, and bringing new people into the process. Our campaign is based on the core values of love, hope, empathy and how we move forward together.
In Congress, I will go to work every day focusing on delivering on early childhood education, responding to the opioid crisis, protecting family farms and expanding economic opportunity—and representing the people and values of WNC.
Who is Chuck Edwards, the NC politician who just denied Madison Cawthorn reelection? 5/18 updated © The Charlotte Observer
State Sen. Chuck Edwards is drawing national attention after narrowly defeating Madison Cawthorn, the embattled first-term congressman from Western North Carolina who earned powerful opposition within his own party, in Tuesday’s GOP primary.
Edwards is currently serving his third full term in the North Carolina Senate. He was appointed to the 48th Senate District in August 2016 after the resignation of former Sen. Tom Apodaca and won reelection in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
In the state Senate, Edwards serves as chairman of the committees on agriculture, energy and environment; appropriations on agriculture, natural and economic resources; and commerce and insurance.
Thanks again, I hope you have a safe week.