Opinion
Ticket-splitters could prove decisive
In polling averages, the former president leads by five to six points. Meanwhile, Stein and Robinson are running neck-and-neck.
Opinion
Dems hope to defend governor’s office
Since the turn of the 20th century, North Carolina voters have picked Republicans for governor just four times: Jim Holshouser in 1972, Jim Martin in 1984 and 1988, and Pat McCrory in 2012. In each case, there was no Democratic incumbent. In each case, the GOP presidential candidate also won North Carolina. A similar scenario...
Opinion
Yes, North Carolina governors matter
With my longtime friend Andy Wells, a former state senator, joining the Republican primary field for governor and Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan publicly considering a run for the Democratic nomination, now seems like an opportune time to answer a frequently voiced question. Why in the world would anyone want to be governor of North...
Opinion
Broyhill helped build the modern GOP
As the founder of one of North Carolina’s largest companies, James Edgar Broyhill helped build high-quality, durable furniture. His son James Thomas Broyhill, who died February 18 at the age of 95, helped build something just as lasting: the North Carolina Republican Party. For most of the elder Broyhill’s lifetime, the GOP was a minor...
Opinion
Don’t that just beat all?
I’ve been writing a newspaper column since 1986. During that time, I’ve had occasion to criticize the policies of six North Carolina governors: Jim Martin, Jim Hunt, Mike Easley, Beverly Perdue, Pat McCrory, and Roy Cooper. None has seen fit to have me flogged. An ancestor of mine, William Pendley, wasn’t so lucky. Some years...
Opinion
Crime is back as a voting issue
Violent crime is on the rise in North Carolina — up 18% since 2018. Voter concern about crime is also rising. It played a key role in the 2020 elections. It will probably do so again in 2022. This is hardly the first time crime has been a hot political topic in state politics. I...
News
Wake County School Board votes to end masks in class March 7
The Wake County Public School Board voted for making masks recommended but not required for athletics immediately. The vote includes extracurricular activities, ending masks requirements on Friday, Feb. 25, and for classes starting March 7. The school board made the decision during a special Board of Education meeting on Feb. 22, despite passionate objections from...
Opinion
Budget applies constructive conservatism
When you pay for recurring expenses with a windfall, you guarantee either an imperiled program or a tax increase.
Opinion
County races turn on governance
To compete effectively for statewide office or control of the General Assembly over time, Republicans will have regain their footing in major metropolitan areas.
Opinion
Constitutions are inherently inconvenient
It’s easy to celebrate free speech when the speaker says things you like. It’s easy to embrace the procedural rights enjoyed by criminal defendants when you’re sure they are innocent.
Opinion
Governor should lead on pipeline
While laying the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will employ thousands of construction workers for a time, the real payoff will come from permanent jobs and income gains derived from gas access and lower-cost electricity.
Opinion
History can teach both parties
When you craft public policy through an orderly process, you increase both the quality of legislation and the credibility of legislators.
