State of Blues

Democrats are down in the dumps: Erskine Bowles and Joe Hackney are both out. And Heath Shuler (though there was less love loss there). The N&O’s top headline proclaims an “exodus” from the legislature.
 
But take it from an old gray head: We’ve been down before.
 
In 1988, Democrats had just lost a second straight governor’s race. We’d lost the lieutenant governor’s race for the first time ever. The new light Gov, Jim Gardner, was predicting 16 years of Republican governors and an emerging Republican majority. A coalition of Republicans and runaway Democrats had taken over the House. Some big Democratic names (including one who later won statewide office) were considering jumping to the Republican Party.
 
We survived. How? Good candidates and good campaigns.
 
Dan Blue & Co. took the House back. Marc Basnight & Co. took the Senate back.
 
Most of all, Jim Hunt came back.
 
Good candidates and good campaigns solve a lot of problems. That’s where Democrats need to focus now.
 
There’s still an opening in the governor’s race – even with Etheridge, Dalton and Faison in – for a candidate who can energize Democrats across the state. I doubt it’s Brad Miller. It might be Richard Moore.
 
Stay tuned, and keep your chin up. If nothing else, the Republicans will keep over-reading their mandate and overreaching – and give it right back to us.
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Gary Pearce

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State of Blues

Democrats are down in the dumps: Erskine Bowles and Joe Hackney are both out. And Heath Shuler (though there was less love loss there). The N&O’s top headline proclaims an “exodus” from the legislature.
 
But take it from an old gray head: We’ve been down before.
 
In 1988, Democrats had just lost a second straight governor’s race. We’d lost the lieutenant governor’s race for the first time ever. The new light Gov, Jim Gardner, was predicting 16 years of Republican governors and an emerging Republican majority. A coalition of Republicans and runaway Democrats had taken over the House. Some big Democratic names (including one who later won statewide office) were considering jumping to the Republican Party.
 
We survived. How? Good candidates and good campaigns.
 
Dan Blue & Co. took the House back. Marc Basnight & Co. took the Senate back.
 
Most of all, Jim Hunt came back.
 
Good candidates and good campaigns solve a lot of problems. That’s where Democrats need to focus now.
 
There’s still an opening in the governor’s race – even with Etheridge, Dalton and Faison in – for a candidate who can energize Democrats across the state. I doubt it’s Brad Miller. It might be Richard Moore.
 
Stay tuned, and keep your chin up. If nothing else, the Republicans will keep over-reading their mandate and overreaching – and give it right back to us.
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Gary Pearce

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