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Title really says it all. I think I'd like the metro overall and know its supposed to be a rather progressive metro with Chapel Hill and such. I'm wondering what the area around Cary is. I know often if you go 10 minutes outside of the progressive center you end up in a much more traditional, conservative type of place. Is that the case in Cary?
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that but I'd rather be in a more progressive area.
It's hard to stereotype each area, but for a really liberal feel around the triangle, Carborro is it (Hillsborough too to somewhat). "Progressive" feel is Chapel Hill, Durham is getting there in some parts and central Raleigh around the NCSU in pockets as well.
However except for Raleigh and Durham, the others areas don't have a Metropolitan feel. They are smaller towns.
All things being equal, the South tends to be somewhat more conservative than the Northeast. Blended areas with lots of population influx from other parts of the country are not going to be as traditionally Southern/conservative as more homogeneous parts of the South.
College towns tend to be more liberal than other areas, regardless of what part of the country they are in.
Areas with high socio-economic status tend to be somewhat more conservative - true in the South as it is in the North.
You can look at county by county maps of recent elections and see that Wake county is pretty mixed, usually voting along a 52/48 split for the progressive, but sometimes flipping that and going for the conservative option. Durham county is solidly Democratic and so is Orange County (Chapel Hill/Carrboro/Hillsborough). Chatham County is somewhat progressive in spots like Pittsboro, but sometimes votes conservative. While voting records aren't a complete picture of whether a town is progressive in its policies, since many policies are not put up for a vote by the citizens, I think they are a good indicator. They show the kinds of people the citizens are willing to put into office.
Check out Interactive map: 2012 NC and US election results :: WRAL.com and check the counties button and the governor's race and you can see that Orange Co voted 65%/32% for the democratic candidate for governor (Walter Dalton who lost quite overwhelmingly) and Durham county voted 70/20 for the democrat, while Wake Co (Raleigh, Cary, etc) voted 49/48 for the Republican (who handily won the state). It's pretty obvious that Durham and Orange are the most liberal places in the Triangle. Carrboro and Chapel Hill and Durham are all very progressive. I don't know about Hillsborough, though. Although it is in Orange County there are plenty of conservatives up there. I'd say that one's a pretty mixed bag.
Based on precinct maps, Cary is quite left-leaning compared to most of the rest of the state. It would only look conservative compared to Raleigh proper or Durham or Chapel Hill.
Based on precinct maps, Cary is quite left-leaning compared to most of the rest of the state. It would only look conservative compared to Raleigh proper or Durham or Chapel Hill.
Raleigh's other suburbs like Garner, Wake Forest, Zebulon, Fuquay Varina, and Holly Springs are all right-leaning.
Note that red and blue are reversed on those maps.
Good points. I can't figure out if NC is drifting Right or Left? I think it's more solidly middle of the road politically compared to our neighbors but lately it seems to less "progessive" than it was historically compared to our neighbors. It seems like we are becoming more like South Carolina than Virginia...politically at least. Obviously, this subject is WIDE open for interpretation/discussion...
Compared ot the rest of the state, sure it's left leaning!
However, cary has a very traditional feel. Not so much of a conservative political feel, but a "traditional" feel. You know, family of 4, a dog, a house with a a wooden play set, a SUV or moini-van, gym membership, and a preschool on every corner.
However LOVE going to Carborro and Hillsborugh to get my crunchy on!
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