From the front lines in NC
North Carolina Democrats’ new state chair, Anderson Clayton, is drawing national press, including a New York Times profile this week. She rallied supporters last month to win a Daily Kos poll for which “ ‘super swing state’ deserves Daily Kos’ help the most.” (I’m biased.) DKos sent out mailings last week asking members to contribute $15 to the fight.
Clayton is not shy about painting the challenge North Carolina Democrats face in 2024. One would be the leading Republican contender for governor.
In case you need reminding, Clayton’s talking about this guy:
“Tell our enemies on the other side of the aisle that would drag this nation down into a socialist hellhole that you will only do it as you run past me laying on the ground choking on my own blood — Christian patriots of this nation will own this nation and rule this nation.”
AG Josh Stein, Democrats’ leading contender for governor, has a close race on his hands in a political environment that is terra incognita for Democrats.
Unaffiliated voters (what NC calls independents) are the largest bloc of registered voters in NC (36%), making getting to a winning vote margin of 50%+1 a challenge for Democrats. In 2020 and 2022, UNAs voted AGAINST the top Democrat on the ticket by 58% statewide.
But UNAs vote heavily blue in tons of precincts in the state’s largest counties while turning out at 8-10 percent (or more) below Democrats on their streets. NC Dems can leverage that “left behind” vote if, for once, they can think and campaign outside their microtargeting box. I’d cast a net into a school of fish. Democrats traditionally throw a hook.