Carter is a Republican. Gary is a Democrat.

They met in 1984, during the epic U.S. Senate battle between Jesse Helms and Jim Hunt. Carter worked for Helms and Gary, for Hunt.

Years later, they became friends. They even worked together on some nonpolitical clients.

They enjoy talking about politics. So they started this blog in 2005.

They’re still talking. And they invite you to join the conversation.

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Carter Wrenn

Gary Pearce 2024

Gary Pearce

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Ignore Media Polls

By Gary Pearce 2023-11-13

A week ago, The New York Times published a poll predicting disaster for President Biden and Democrats in big states a year from now. Two days later, voters gave Democrats big victories in big states: Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Why are media polls so wrong so often? My suspicion: they’re done on the cheap.…

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Oblivious on Abortion

By Gary Pearce 2023-11-10

It was THE story of Tuesday’s elections, but Wednesday night it took NBC 90 minutes to ask Republican presidential candidates about abortion. Their answers were tortured, because Republicans know they’re in trouble on the issue. But why didn’t NBC ask them sooner and push them harder? Why is big media so oblivious to the power…

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Abortion Lies

By Gary Pearce 2023-11-09

Watching Democrats and abortion rights win across the country Tuesday night, I tweeted: “Just a reminder that Mark Robinson and NC Republicans want a total ban on abortion, including in cases of rape and incest.” Several Republicans tweeted back, “That’s a lie.” One said, “It’s a lie. Please stop.” No. It’s true. And I won’t…

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The Donkey Kicks Back

By Gary Pearce 2023-11-08

Polls don’t predict. And media chatter don’t matter. Democrats across the country – and North Carolina – showed yesterday what matters: abortion rights, good candidates like Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and the hard work of organizing, raising money and communicating with voters about issues that matter. And democracy matters. As a wise old Democrat…

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Poll Panic

By Gary Pearce 2023-11-06

The New York Times sent Democrats across America into shock Sunday morning with this story: “Trump Leads in 5 Critical States as Voters Blast Biden, Times/Siena Poll Finds.” There are three ways to look at this. First, don’t panic At the first poll briefing I ever went to, in Jim Hunt’s first campaign for governor…

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The River

By Gary Pearce 2023-11-03

When I introduced Chair Anderson Clayton at a Democratic Party fundraiser this week, I told the crowd about her first meeting with Governor Jim Hunt. I told them how Hunt and Clayton connected despite the 60 years between them. It took me back to when I was about Clayton’s age, and working to elect Hunt…

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Corruption Fighter

By Gary Pearce 2023-10-31

Jeff Jackson began his campaign for state attorney general by punching the political bullies right in the nose. In his announcement video, he climbs into a boxing ring and trades punches with an opponent. He calls North Carolina Republicans “corrupt politicians” and tags their gerrymandering, which drew him out of his congressional district, as “blatant…

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A New Era

By Carter Wrenn 2023-10-27

The Berlin Wall fell, the Cold War ended, a new era began – and we were the dominant power on earth. Now the post-Cold War era is over – and we face three threats, allied against us: China, Russia and Iran. The new era has already spawned two wars – one started by Russia, another…

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Ghost of Gerrymanders Past

By Gary Pearce 2023-10-26

When I blogged last week that North Carolina Republicans are guilty of “the most extreme and egregious gerrymandering in American political history,” they responded: Democrats did it, too. No, they didn’t. Not like this. Democrats last drew maps after the 2000 census. The elections that followed were close, so close that one legislative session had…

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A Simple Question

By Carter Wrenn 2024-03-27

Hamas stormed into Israel, killed men, women, and children. Shocked Israelis thought, We’re no longer safe.…

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Plagues

By Carter Wrenn 2024-03-26

Plagues have been around since the time of the Pharaohs: What caused the plague that killed…

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Both Sides Now?

By Gary Pearce 2024-03-26

Democratic heads exploded over this story in The News & Observer last week: “The two candidates…

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