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Old 09-11-2010, 07:06 PM
 
3 posts, read 9,997 times
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While NC usually considered a red state, it seems to have elected many liberal and liberal-minded politicians such as John Edwards, Kay Hagan, Elaine Marshall, etc. who tend to be pro-socialized health care and other things.

Is it because of the influx of Northeasterners, large cities, unions (although I doubt that NC has many), or what?
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Old 09-12-2010, 08:59 AM
 
Location: Ellicott City MD
2,270 posts, read 9,119,165 times
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North Carolina has always been a very moderate state, and a very pro-education state. Research Terry Sanford or Bob Scott or Jim Hunt. If anything, newcomers have added a more conservative bent (research what is happening in Wake County Schools right now -- that is driven by newcomers).
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Old 09-12-2010, 08:24 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
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NC is almost the "Purplest" state there is, but (not surprisingly) the cities are more Blue while the rural areas (which still encompass most of NC) are more "Red".

NC is actually a non-Union state.

You are correct that we have typically gone "Red" in national elections (though in 2008 we went Blue by the slimmest margin of any state). However, at the state level, NC has always been strongly Democratic. For US Senate and Congress, we are pretty split, currently with 1 of each in the Senate and 8/5 D/R in the House.

I guess the real question is, why are you asking? If you're going to move here and are worried about political leanings of where you'll be moving, as I said, the urban areas, especially the Triangle, are the most Democratic areas. Yes, lots of transplants help the "Bluing", but actually many transplants who move here are themselves Republicans, that being one reason they're leaving the Northeast (all the "liberalism"--at least according to things I've read here on C-D). Of course, New England Republicans are a lot different from Southern Republicans. But i remember reading that over 40% of those who voted for Jesse Helms in his last election were new transplants--so you can't assume that all moving into the area are "liberals".

The only way to really make a sweeping statement is to say that NC is Purple, and likely to be a swing state at the National level for a while.
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Old 09-13-2010, 04:23 AM
 
3,265 posts, read 3,175,977 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBlevins View Post
While NC usually considered a red state, it seems to have elected many liberal and liberal-minded politicians such as John Edwards, Kay Hagan, Elaine Marshall, etc. who tend to be pro-socialized health care and other things.

Is it because of the influx of Northeasterners, large cities, unions (although I doubt that NC has many), or what?
I wouldn't consider any of those people you mentioned particularly liberal. The state Democratic party is largely pro-business and center-right on social issues like most Southern Blue Dog Democrats. The state government is largely Democratic because of several factors, primarily a high college-educated population in the Triangle/Triad/Charotte, a large African-American population, and a somewhat disorganized Republican party outside rural areas. Interestingly the Tea Party hasn't fared particularly well in the primaries this year, either because people are happy enough with their current Republican elected officials or the individual weaknesses of their candidates (though I suspect funding was an issue as well).

The influx of outsiders is a mixed bag. Overall they have shifted the state to the left a bit, but many are just as conservative as any native good ol' boy. As someone else mentioned, the Wake County School Board is split completely along native versus Yankee lines, and the Yankees are the ones backed by conservatives. It really depends on why someone chooses to relocate. Someone moving because of a high skill/high tech/or teaching job is more likely to be left-leaning whereas someone moving because of low property taxes or retirement is likely to be more conservative, though there's definitely not a 1:1 correlation in either case.

Beyond that a really good book on the subject is Southern Politics in the 1990s by Alexander Lamis. A bit dry, but meticulously researched.
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Old 09-13-2010, 01:29 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by box_of_zip_disks View Post
The influx of outsiders is a mixed bag. Overall they have shifted the state to the left a bit, but many are just as conservative as any native good ol' boy. As someone else mentioned, the Wake County School Board is split completely along native versus Yankee lines, and the Yankees are the ones backed by conservatives. It really depends on why someone chooses to relocate. Someone moving because of a high skill/high tech/or teaching job is more likely to be left-leaning whereas someone moving because of low property taxes or retirement is likely to be more conservative, though there's definitely not a 1:1 correlation in either case.
Very astute summary, box_of_zip_disks!
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Old 09-14-2010, 09:38 PM
 
13,900 posts, read 9,719,160 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBlevins View Post
While NC usually considered a red state, it seems to have elected many liberal and liberal-minded politicians such as John Edwards, Kay Hagan, Elaine Marshall, etc. who tend to be pro-socialized health care and other things.

Is it because of the influx of Northeasterners, large cities, unions (although I doubt that NC has many), or what?
The only "socialized" medical system I know of off the top of my head is the U.K.'s, but that's a whole other topic. I would say that the citys are more liberal, the burbs are more moderate, and the rural areas are more conservative just like most other states. NC has a lot of urban areas that tend to vote Democratic at the national level. From what I know about the state it seems like socially the state leans conservative and economically it leans liberal.
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Old 09-15-2010, 12:40 AM
 
Location: Durham, NC
2,599 posts, read 3,112,430 times
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You can find anything here from the most backward redneck to the flakiest of liberals and anything in between. I grew up around a lot of rednecks, back when they slicked their hair down with grease. Fortunately, we don't have as many of them now. I've worked with people & had neighbors that totally lived on some other planet. I consider myself a conservative with minor libertarian tendencies. Growing up, I drifted toward liberalism to distance myself from rednecks, but eventually found the far left libs were just as dumb as the reds, though nicer. Most anywhere you go here nowadays, you can find people you like and fit in with.
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Old 09-17-2010, 06:07 AM
 
31,672 posts, read 40,884,092 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBlevins View Post
While NC usually considered a red state, it seems to have elected many liberal and liberal-minded politicians such as John Edwards, Kay Hagan, Elaine Marshall, etc. who tend to be pro-socialized health care and other things.

Is it because of the influx of Northeasterners, large cities, unions (although I doubt that NC has many), or what?
Thus far you have three City-Data posts asking questions about the politics of New Jersey, California and North Carolina. Are you considering moving to one of them or is your interest to stir up politics in their forums?
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Old 09-19-2010, 02:17 AM
am2
 
Location: Charlotte, NC
413 posts, read 851,832 times
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NC is historically conservative, but in recent years, it has trended moderate to liberal and that trend is likely to continue. The lager influx of people from the Northeast and the Great lakes is trending the state bluer. I think that NC could become the Florida.
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