Raleigh: Progressive or Not? (Durham, Cary: transplants, renters, insurance)

[Seth®]

I'm trying to get some insight on what the political climate of Raleigh and the surrounding areas is like. I'd like to move somewhere that is more progressive than Florida, but I still would like to stay in the South if possible (a lifetime southerner here).

I have loved the several visits I have made to North Carolina in the past few years, but I have not spent enough time in one area to really get a feel for how liberal/conservative the cities may be. I ask about Raleigh specifically because, if I were to move there, it would likely be to a city on the bigger end of the spectrum. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your opinions!

[artichoke63]

I think somewhere around here there was a thread where some poor guy asked if Raleigh was a good place for gays. Lots of mixed responses.

Artie

[MikeJaquish]

I think Progressive has a big office in town.
Personally, I'm with State Farm.

Raleigh and Wake County tend towards conservative, but there is a decent live and let live core that makes it livable.

[he's so hott]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

I think Progressive has a big office in town.
Personally, I'm with State Farm.

Raleigh and Wake County tend towards conservative, but there is a decent live and let live core that makes it livable.

Progessive is big. I have them for my auto by I do have State Farm for my renters insurance.

[tee-tee]

As a recent transplant from a very liberal area, I find Raleigh quite reasonable - there doesn't seem to be any real wackiness either way. Tolerance and moderation seem to be in ample supply, which is a good thing.

Chapel Hill and Carrboro are quite a bit different.

With all of the college students and the transplants, this area seems to have an open mind towards politics race/ethnicity religion etc, unlike insular enclaves in other areas.

[BigHouse9]

Raleigh is progressively conservative.

[RaleighRob]

I'd say the Triangle is very much Progressive...for the South, that is. The western end (Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro) even more so than the Wake County side. (And the areas further east like Johnston County are the most conservative side.)
That said, the urban core of Raleigh itself is definitely more progressive than the rest of Wake. I've often said that Inside-The-Beltline (ITB) Raleigh has more in common with Durham and Chapel Hill than it does the rest of suburban Wake County.

[Seth®]

Thanks for all the responses!

Out of curiosity, tee-tee, where did you move from?

[askmisterbrown]

Chapel Hill and Carrboro are nationally famous for being liberal. In all other parts of the Triangle, you will find a mix of folks. This is a list of the major areas of the Triangle, in rough order from most progressive to most conservative. It’s only my rough impression from living, traveling, and listening to people around the Triangle for the last 23 years. I may have a few of them out of order. And of course there are more progressive and more conservative sub-areas within these larger areas, and there are some progressives and some conservatives everywhere.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Central Durham
Raleigh Inside-the-Beltline
South Durham
Eastern Chatham County
Northern Orange County
North Raleigh
North Durham City
Eastern Wake County
Cary-Morrisville-Apex
Southern Wake County
Northern Durham County
Southern Franklin County
Northwestern Johnston County

[RaleighRob]

^ I pretty much agree with your analysis there. I might flip the North Durham & North Raleigh ones around each other, but otherwise I think you're right on target for the "gradual progression" here.