Democrats Lick Their Wounds, Make Plans for the Future in North Carolina

The 2012 election has ushered in election results that are strangely similar to that of 2008, especially at the national level. President Barack Obama carried all but two states he won four years ago, and maintained control of the presidency. There were some twists, however, and one of those surprises was the battleground state of North Carolina, one of the losses for the Obama campaign. For a state that has been historically Republican in its national voting habits for the last 25 years, Obama managed to carry that state in 2008. This may have had something to do with North Carolina's fairly competitive state level political system, where Democrats and Republicans have exchanged power regularly.

This year was different though. Economic recovery has not been kind to those in North Carolina, and their frustration was heard at the ballot box. When things are not going well, the incumbent party ends up taking a hit, and this is exactly what happened. The Republicans took control of the governor's office, and both houses of the state legislature, something that has not happened in over 100 years. While this may be disconcerting for the Democrats, they appear optimistic. Party leaders in the state are keen to point out that Mitt Romney's victory in North Carolina was the narrowest in the entire country. It is also likely that this momentary loss of control could just be another cycle in a state that is as two-party politically as one could get. Leaders are motivated to not be obstructionist, and through this bipartisan attitude, they hope to achieve victory in 2014.

N.C. Democrats adjust, look to 2014 - Charlotte Observer

North Carolina Election Results

For those interested in the breakdowns for all races in the battleground state of North Carolina, check out this link!!!

North Carolina Election Results - Huffington Post

Reasons Why Obama Lost North Carolina in 2012

 If one were to examine the electoral map of the 2012 election, they would find that it looks strangely similar to the map of the 2008 election, with a few minor exceptions. President Barack Obama lost a small number of states in this election that he carried in 2008, and one of them was the battleground state of North Carolina. A recent News Observer article cited five reasons that President Obama was not able to continue his success in North Carolina this time around: 1. The sour economy, 2. GOP honed ground game, 3. A slip in urban margins, 4. Back-burner battleground, and 5. Fewer white votes. 

A simple breakdown of the five reasons goes like this. First, the sour economy has hit North Carolina harder than the rest of the country. With an unemployment rate hovering around 9.6%, far higher than the national average, the people of North Carolina needed the change that Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney was offering. Second, the GOP ground game was far superior to the Democrat's. With Get Out The Vote efforts being held by Republicans for much longer and employing the service of many more people, it is not surprising that the grassroots campaign of the party prevailed over the Democrats. Third, the slip in the urban margins, does not bode well for any Democratic candidate, who rely on urban voters that tend to be more liberal than their rural counterparts. Fourth, the issue of North Carolina being a back-burner battleground state was certainly obvious. President Obama himself had not made a personal visit to the state since the Democratic National Convention in the summer, indicative of the emphasis that his campaign placed on the state. And lastly, fewer white votes for Obama hurt him. While the President did capture 96% of the African-American vote, they only make up 23% of the state's population, making it impossible for any candidate to win by simply focusing on this particular demographic.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/11/08/2470366/5-reasons-obama-didnt-carry-north.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/11/08/2470366/5-reasons-obama-didnt-carry-north.html#storylink=cpy

Five Reasons Obama Didn't Carry North Carolina - News Observer

Pat McCrory: North Carolina's New Governor

 Pat McCrory, North Carolina's new Republican governor, is no stranger to running for office. He had served on the Charlotte city council from 1989 to 1995, when he successfully ran for mayor of Charlotte, serving until 2009. An unsuccessful bid for governor in 2008 did not phase McCrory, who came back in 2012 to win the highest office in the state, due largely to the amount of money he was able to raise. The Republican candidate managed to acquire $11.5 million, a superior amount when compared to the paltry $3.9 million his Democratic challenger, Walter Dalton, managed to raise. This cash advantage allowed McCrory to run a much larger advertising campaign to help lead him to victory, in addition to having several big name Republican governors make appearances, like Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and Chris Christie of New Jersey.

McCrory's victory could also have been chalked up to him being in the right place at the right time. North Carolina's unemployment rate has stayed around 9.6%, one of the highest in the country. This, combined with an unpopular view of the prior governor, Bev Perdue, created a perfect storm for a Republican to take control of this state that has had particularly competitive state-level politics.

McCrory North Carolina Governor Profile - USA Today

 Even though recent polls in the battleground state of North Carolina have shown the two candidates in a virtual tie, money has not stopped moving around in the state. Both President Barack Obama and Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney have collected an impressive amount of money in this state that has been categorized as 'leaning Republican'. But to rely on the amount of money raised alone,Obama would take the state by a landslide, as he raised more than $1.1 million here in September alone, while Romney pulled in less than $500,000.

But as the president, Obama has an advantage that Romney does not. The incumbent usually is favored, and has an easier time fundraising. And according to Jeff Colbert, a political science professor, campaign contributions are not necessarily related to how a state will vote. Colbert is quick to remind us that North Carolina has a long established history of voting Republican in presidential elections, and suggests that the state voting for Obama in 2008 was a fluke. Democrats are quick to argue that win was a signal that North Carolina could be a swing state for elections to come, but Colbert disagrees. He says that the high unemployment rate in North Carolina is on the minds of all voters, and that statistic will likely tip the scales in favor of Romney.

NC deadlocked, but donations to presidential candidates flowing freely - Pendulum

Fmr President Clinton rallies North Carolina voters in support of Obama

Former President Bill Clinton continued his nation-wide tour to attempt to drum up more support for President Barack Obama by making a stop in Raleigh on Sunday, the capital city of the key battleground state of North Carolina. The Obama campaign is making a last minute push in the state, as recent polls show that it is a good possibility that he will lose the state he carried in 2008 to Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney. Clinton continued to illustrate the stark contrasts between the President and Romney, saying that Romney's campaign was based on empty promises, with no explicit plan that is known to the voters.

The former President's visit represents an influx of surrogates campaigning for the President in North Carolina. First Lady Michelle Obama teamed up with singer Mariah Carey in Charlotte, NC Monday afternoon, with Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joseph Biden, making an appearance in Huntersville and Asheville on Friday. Some have expressed concern that the President himself has neglected to make any personal appearances himself in the state since the Democratic National Convention during the summer. Coincidentally, Romney has also neglected the state in recent days, preferring to have his network of supporters continue the campaign in his absence, which is likely due to his confidence in carrying the state on Election Day.

Bill Clinton stirs Obama rally - Bellingham Herald
First Lady Michelle Obama makes one more stop in North Carolina - Charlotte Observer

Election Official Predicts 69% Turnout In North Carolina

In the battleground state of North Carolina, where one vote may make the difference between which presidential candidate is elected, State Board of Elections Executive Director Gary Bartlett claims that 69% of the registered voters in his state will turn out to vote on or before Tuesday's election. More than 6.6 million registered voters are present in North Carolina, which is very similar to the amount of registered voters four years ago in the 2008 election. 69.53% of registered voters turned out at the polls then, a record-breaking number.

Close to 2.55 million have already voted early in North Carolina, which is around 41%.


NC election officla predicts 69 percent turnout - Charlotte Observer

North Carolina Gubernatorial Candidates Make One Last Push

The two men running for governor of North Carolina, Republican Pat McCrory and Democratic Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton, have been making the final preparations for Election Day on November 6. However, frontrunenr McCrory spent his time campaigning in a much different way than Dalton did. The Republican spent his time at the East Carolina University football game, while the Lt. Governor visited an early-voting site in Greenville and festivals in Snow Hill and Wilson. McCrory may have reason to begin an early celebration: he has a 6 to 1 cash advantage going into Election Day, and he is ahead in the polls.

Dalton's strategy of not relaxing until the election is over is likely due to his deficit in the polls. He defends his poor performance, and a quote in the Winston-Salem Journal states that "Dalton said he’s got more detailed plans for the state than McCrory does and suggested that he’s built roots throughout the state while lieutenant governor that might not show up in polls."

 

McCrory, Dalton in eastern NC as early voting ends - Winston-Salem Journal

An interesting piece on North Carolina politics from CBS

While this may not exactly be a blog post, the link to CBS News provides a good context for what is at stake in North Carolina. The article provides a brief, yet usable history of electoral politics, as well as summarizes the efforts of Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama as they try to win over this prize that, according to professor Ferrel Guillory, "Republicans these days need an almost clean sweep of the South in order to get to 270" electoral college votes...If Obama were to carry North Carolina again, he pretty much has a second term sewed up."

Click on the link to learn more about this battleground state!

The 2012 Battlegrounds: North Carolina - CBS News

Republicans enjoy increased fundraising in North Carolina Gubernatorial Race

In an election that has been increasingly defined by the extraordinary amount of campaign spending, the North Carolina governor's race is just another statistic. Republican candidate Pat McCrory's campaign has reported raising $5 million in the last 3.5 months, a substantial amount considering his Democratic challenger, Lt. Governor Walter Dalton, only managed to raise $1.5 million in that same time frame. This fiscal advantage has translated to McCrory outspending Dalton considerably on advertising in the last few months, and also had McCrory still having a significant cash advantage in the last few days of the election season.

Recent polls show McCrory receiving 52 percent support among likely voters surveyed, while Dalton receiving 38 percent, demonstrating that money can make a significant impact on the election, as Dalton was a popular Lieutenant Governor with moderate policy ideas.

Republicans enjoy cash advantage over Democrats in North Carolina - Fay Observer

Suspicious activity plagues early voting sites in North Carolina

Troubling activity around early voting sites and inside of people's homes is an issue in the state of North Carolina, as the State Election Board has released complaints from several people of campaign volunteers entering the no-campaign zones, areas 25-50 feet from voting sites, and making calls to voters saying that they are ineligible to vote, or that they can vote by phone if they choose.

While these types of activities are common in some states near Election Day, the North Carolina State Election Board is not treating it lightly, saying that this is the worst that it has ever been, with poll workers being physically injured attempting to keep campaigners from entering the no-campaign zone. There have also been reports of surveys that have been mailed by the group Americans for Limited Government, inquiring into past voting behavior by the recipient of the letter, a practice that is making many feel uncomfortable enough to report this to the State Election Board.

NC officials troubled by raucous election activity - ABC News

New Poll Shows North Carolina Neck and Neck

Recent activity has indicated that Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney had the battleground state of North Carolina firmly in his grip. However, a new poll conducted by Elon University shows Romney and President Barack Obama in a tie, both commanding 45% of the vote in that state. This new poll could show the new, determined Obama campaign, who is committed to winning North Carolina on Election Day.

 

The poll showed that likely voters preferred Romney over Obama on handling the economy, 52% to 42%, and by the same margin favored the President over Romney on foreign policy. Obama has an advantage over Romney with likely women voters, 51% to 40%, while Romney has roughly the same lead with men, 51% to 39%. The poll also says that Obama leads among early voters, 55% to 37%. But Romney has the advantage among likely voters who have not voted yet, 48% to 43%.  

 

 

Poll: Locked Up Race In North Carolina - CNN

ABC News has just completed a piece on the state of North Carolina and its electoral and political history since electing President Barack Obama in 2008 that seemed relevant to this blog. It suggests that some analysts have viewed the 2008 election as a possble turning point for Democrats in a state that has been strongly Republican at the national level. While most news outlets indicate that Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney has a significant lead, ABC suggests that this race is still competitive.

North Carolina has had a particularly difficult battle in its economic recovery, with unemployment hovering around 9%, a good deal higher than the 7.8% national average. Normally, high unemployment would present a situation that is ripe for a presidential candidate challenging the incumbent to win that particular state. This is not the case in North Carolina. The race is still very competitive in this battleground state, and in the next 7 days leading up to Election Day, the race is likely to only get tighter.

 

Getting to Know a Battleground State: North Carolina - ABC News

The media claims that North Carolina is clearly in Romney's hands

Despite the evidence from polling numbers reporting an extremely competitive race, the media appears to be confident in saying that the battleground state of North Carolina is a victory for Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney. The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, Politico, ABC, and NBC have all updated their likely voting state maps to categorize North Carolina as 'leaning Romney'.

Real Clear Politics, a polling aggregator, is one of the few outlets that has not awarded the state to Romney. The organization takes the averages of the recent polls conducted, and then comes out with their own number based on these results. Most of the recent polls, since the last presidential debate, show a tie with President Barack Obama, or showing Obama up by one to two points, well within the polls' margins of error. This demonstrates a haste to award the battleground state to Romney, and certainly suggests that these media organizations are premature in awarding Romney control of this still competitive electoral prize

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/10/27/3626146/national-media-see-romney-tightening.html#storylink=cpy

National Media See Romney Tightening Grip On N.C. - Charlotte Observer

Obama campaign not leaving North Carolina yet

Despite consistent polling that suggests a growing disparity between himself and Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama's campaign says that they will not give up on winning the battleground state of North Carolina. Senior campaign strategist David Axelrod and North Carolina campaign manager Jim Messina both strongly dispute the suspicions that the Obama campaign will pull out of the state in favor of the more competitive states where both candidates are much closer in the polls, despite others close to Obama, like former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who believes that North Carolina is a lost cause.

Messina cites the Democratic Party's registering of hundreds of thousands of voters and early voting figures that indicate strong turnout from young people as a sign that all is not lost. Younger voters helped Obama carry the state against Republican candidate John McCain in the 2008 election, and it appears that group is key for a repeat in 2012.

Obama campaign says North Carolina is still in play - News Observer

Early votes for Romney being marked as Obama

Allegations of potential voting fraud have emerged in the battleground state of North Carolina. Voters in Guilford County have reported finding difficulties with the electronic voting machines that are being used to track early voting in that state. When a person tries to vote for Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney, the machine defaults to President Barack Obama.

While these kinds of mechanical errors occur in every election when electronic ballot systems are used, Republicans are seizing on the opportunity to undermine the credibility of every vote for Obama in North Carolina, bringing another source of contention to an already heated presidential election. As of Tuesday, Guilford County Board of Elections has confirmed that all errors have been repaired. Regardless, conservative blog Redstate has issued a tip for voting Republican. They say to avoid the 'straight-ticket' method, a process in which a person votes entirely for all candidates in a particular party, and instead select all candidates individually.

 

North Carolina voters say ballots cast for Romney being registered for Obama - Examiner

In the battleground state of North Carolina, Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney appears to have a clear advantage. In a series of recently released polls, one has Romney leading President Obama by as much as six points. According to an article in The Latin Times, Romney has a lead there becase of two key reasons. The first is that he is up 63/33 with white voters and the second is that he is leading 54/40 with independents. Both of these groups make up a significant population in the state, which translates into Romney leading Obama in the polls.

However, the poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports Electoral College Projections did note that voters in North Carolina think that Obama will win the general election, regardless of which candidate that they elect as a state.

 

Latest Poll Shows North Carolina Favoring Romney

Romney not pulling resources out of North Carolina

Despite a number of assumptions made of the presidential campaign of Republican Nominee Mitt Romney, he is not exiting the battleground state of North Carolina. Speculation began a few days ago when the campaign transferred press officer Rob Reid to Ohio that the Romney campaign decided not to keep spending money there when it appeared a lock for Mr. Romney. Doing so would free up money to be used in other states where the winner is not as apparent.

And now, it appears that the Romney will not be doing any such activity, as several follow up inquiries to the campaign confirmed that the offices would not be closing. Instead, a few higher level campaign positions would be moving to other states. While North Carolina has been shown to be favoring Romney by a considerable margin, the fact that the campaign has not exited the state completely demonstrates that they are not confident that the lead will continue until Election Day on November 6.

 

Romney Campaign on North Carolina: Candidate NOT Pulling Resources Out Of State - Huffington Post

Early Voting Begins in North Carolina

Battleground state North Carolina joins nineteen other states in beginning early voting for the November election. This practice of casting the ballot before the actual election is an increasingly popular trend, with approximately 33% of the population doing so in the 2008 election, and predictions indicate that percentage will increase in 2012 as well. First Lady Michelle Obama has been campaigning for her husband, President Barack Obama, throughout the state, trying to encourage people to vote early, a main factor for Obama winning North Carolina in 2008. Former Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum and Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus are campaigning for Governor Mitt Romney in the state, whose importance in this close election cannot be understated.

Early Voting Opens in Critical North Carolina - CBS News

North Carolina Gubernatorial Debate Portrays Aggressive Candidates

Overshadowed slightly by the 2nd Presidential Debate, North Carolina's gubernatorial debate also occurred Tuesday night, with both candidates showing no reservations at starting conflict. Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton was the primary aggressor, trying to paint Republican Pat McCrory, former mayor of Charlotte, as someone who does not have the public's interests at heart. McCrory, the clear frontrunner in the election, only had to parry Dalton's accusations, countering with an optimistic message for state of North Carolina, and trying to keep a positive presense when compared to the aggressive style of Dalton.

The candidates were divided on issues such as the Racial Justice Act, an act that lets death row inmates appeal their conviction because of possible racial bias on juries. Additionally, the candidates' stance on education and taxation gives the voters a clear choice of who to vote for come election day. 

 

Dalton Thrusts, McCrory Parries - Charlotte Observer

Pollster leaves key swing states, says Obama can't win there

David Paleologos, a Suffolk University pollster, has stopped conducting polls in the battleground states of North Carolina, Florida, and Virginia. His reasoning for doing this is that he believes that the race is no longer close here, as Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney has a significant lead over President Barack Obama. Paleologos announced this on the O'Reilly Factor, citing that it no longer is a good use of his resources to continue to poll in these states if they have remained one-sided for so long. When asked by Bill O'Reilly as to why he was so confident these three states were definitely voting for Romney, Paleologos responded by saying:

"Before the debate, the Suffolk poll had Obama ahead 46 to 43 [in Florida] in the head-to-head number. A poor place to be for a couple of reasons. Number one, his ballot test, his head-to-head number was below 47 percent before the debate, and it’s very, very difficult when you have the known quantity, the incumbent, to claw your way up to 50. So that was a very, very poor place for him to be.So we’re looking at this polling data not only in Florida but in Virginia and North Carolina and it’s overwhelming,” Paleologos concluded.

This interview with a fairly prominent pollster is another indication that North Carolina is no longer as close of a race between the two candidates as had been predicted.

 

Pollster pulls out of Swing States, says Obama can't win - The Hill

Real Clear Politics Updated Average Poll for North Carolina

A recent story by the Guardian profiled a number of businesses in the swing state of North Carolina. The state, with some of the highest unemployment numbers in the nation, has seen signs of an economic turnaround. Prices are rising, as well as the number of buildings being constructed, things that would not happen in a down economy. But the recovery to the Great Recession has been slow, much longer than it has taken the U.S. to emerge from past crises. Local businesspeople attribute this to policies enacted by President Barack Obama and his administration. They say that the president is anti-business, and that he was not as hard on Wall Street as he could have been. The stock market has rallied since its dark days in 2008, and Main Street is still struggling in many states.
Another issue cited for the recovery failure is the political infighting in Washington and elsewhere.

The lack of compromise has hurt everybody, especially when essential things like infrastructure are affected. Most are aware of the economic disaster that President Obama came in to office with, but they believe that it should be fixed at this point. This is yet another sign that the fight for Obama is still an uphill battle.

Economy in North Carolina improves, no credit given to Obama - The Guardian

New Poll Shows Mitt Romney ahead in North Carolina

A recent poll conducted by the Democratic leaning firm Public Policy Polling shows Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney ahead in the battleground state of North Carolina by 2 points, leading President Barack Obama 49 to 47. This is just the latest of polls that shows Romney pulling away from Obama, especially after the Governor's strong debate performance earlier in the month, likely contributing to increases in candidate likeability in North Carolina and other crucial swing states.

Obama leads with women voters 50 to 46, but Romney has a dominant lead among men, beating the President 53-43 percent. Obama wins with younger voters under 65 by 2 points, a 49 to 47 percent lead, but Romney holds a significant lead 58 to 40 percent among those over the age of 65.

Poll shows Romney ahead by 2 points - The Hill

Mitt Romney plans campaign stop in North Carolina

Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney will make a campaign visit to North Carolina on Thursday, his first in almost two months. North Carolina, a battleground state, is crucial for Romney's path to 270 electoral votes in the November election, and this visit will likely bolster efforts for the Republican party to begin a fight with the Democratic voter network, which has been entrenched in North Carolina, campaigning heavily for President Obama, who won the state's electoral votes in the 2008 election. Republican volunteers already have good news for their party, as the GOP claims that that they made 200,000 voter contacts on Saturday.

Romney planning campaign visit Thursday to NC - The Sacramento Bee

North Carolina Gubernatorial Race Heats Up

The North Carolina race for governor is beginning to pick up, as the two candidates, Democrat Walter Dalton, the current lieutenant governor, and Republican Pat McCrory, a former mayor of Charlotte, had their first debate. The two men differed on a number of issues, including economic recovery and whether or not to allow 'fracking' to increase oil and natural gas production in the state. Currently, McCrory enjoys a wide lead in the polls, with a Public Policy Polling survey giving him 47 percent of the vote, when compared to Dalton's 37 percent.
While McCrory does have a comfortable lead, he cannot get too content with his position, as the Obama campaign has been making a strong 'Get Out The Vote' effort to register voters. While this may not be enough to catch Dalton up to McCrory, it could certainly prove problematic if not acknowledged.

NC Governor's Race - Southern Political Report

Romney attempts to erode Obama's early voter strategy

President Obama's strategy of collecting early votes in the key battleground states of North Carolina and Florida may have worked four years ago against John McCain, but current Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney has caught on, and has focused campaign resources on these two states that he cannot afford to lose. In 2008, Obama used early voting to gain a significant lead on McCain, diminishing the number of voters who actually voted for the Arizona Senator on election day.
While the votes are not counted until election day, a good estimation can be made by looking at the registered number of voters that have cast early ballots. In both states, registered Republicans were submitting ballots more frequently than registered Democrats, which leads one to infer that Republicans are winning the early vote race in these states.

Romney starts strong in North Carolina in fight to cut Obama’s advantage among early voters - Washington Post

North Carolina GOP fires voter registration firm

The North Carolina Republican Party has terminated its business relationship with Strategic Allied Consulting, a business they contracted to assist the GOP with voter registration for the November 6 election. The firm was let go after allegations surfaced that suspicious registration forms were being submitted in Florida, another state in which the Republican Party had hired Strategic Allied Consulting. Florida's situation can can serve as a wake up call for the other states who employed this firm, and North Carolina is taking this warning very seriously. The state records are being reviewed, with hopes that any errors that are present can be found and corrected before the election.

Strategic Allied Consulting was selected to lead the voter registration process on word from the Republican National Party, who had dealt with them in the past. The reviews for the company prior to this incident had been positive, but the Republicans are taking no chances. Says  Rob Lockwood, the communications director for the North Carolina GOP, “We take any threat to the voting process very seriously.”

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/NC-GOP-fires-voter-sign-up-firm-over-Florida-fraud-3908842.php

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/10/01/3569683/north-carolina-to-investigate.html#storylink=cpy

New Poll Shows Close Race in North Carolina

In a recent NBC News/Marist/Wall Street Journal poll, President Obama was shown to be ahead of Republican Nominee Mitt Romney in key battleground states of New Hampshire, Nevada, and North Carolina. Specifically in North Carolina, President Obama leads Governor Romney by two points, 48 to 46 percent, within the poll's margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent. However, the same poll indicates that Romney holds an 9 point advantage over independent voters. This may not be as comforting as those in the Romney campaign believe, as in 2008, John McCain held a 21 point advantage in the state over then candidate Obama.
September had been a difficult month for Romney as he struggles to increase his likability with voters. Many still see him as distant with the average person. And perceptions of increased economic performance and a brighter view of where the country is headed under Obama continue to plague the Romney campaign. With a little over a month before the election, Romney needs a strong performance in the first debate to show the country he is qualified to be President.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/27/14128100-polls-obama-leads-in-nh-tighter-in-nev-nc?lite

New Battleground State Ad Appears in North Carolina

A new ad from President Obama makes its appearance in North Carolina today, depicting Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney in the video leaked last week where he refers to the '47 percent' that he will not be concentrating his campaign on because of how they are a lost cause.

This ad will make its appearance in eight battleground states, and will attempt to paint Romney as someone that does not care about nearly half of the country, and reveals that Romney paid only 14% in federal income taxes.
The Romney campaign has responded by saying, through North Carolina spokesman Robert Reid:
"President Obama’s policies have devastated the middle class. And his tax increases on middle-class families and small businesses will only make things worse. Mitt Romney will help middle-class families by lowering tax rates across the board, spurring growth and investment, creating 12 million jobs, and finally getting this country on the right track again."

http://projects.newsobserver.com/node/25837

Read more here: http://projects.newsobserver.com/node/25837#storylink=cpy

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley Campaigns for Romney in North Carolina

Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney has been busy these last few weeks fundraising and making campaign stops throughout the country. But the busy life of a Presidential candidate leaves one short on time, making it impossible to appear in all states that are required to win the Presidency.

Fortunately for Romney, he is not the only one campaigning on his behalf. In the battleground state of North Carolina, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley held a Women For Romney event Monday in Apex, NC. Haley rebuked claims by Democrats that the Republican Party was trying to start a war on women, referring to the controversy earlier in the year regarding the contraception guidelines in the new healthcare law that was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Haley commented that women were concerned with much more than contraception issues, with more important factors outweighing it, namely the economy. Haley is scheduled to hold more Women For Romney events in two other battleground states, Virginia and Florida.

News Observer Article - SC's Haley Speaks at Women for Romney Event in NC

First Lady Michelle Obama Makes Campaign Stop in North Carolina

First Lady Michelle Obama made an appearance Wednesday in Durham, North Carolina in a push to rally young, college age voters to vote for her husband, President Barack Obama, in November. This is the first campaign stop for someone in the President's camp following a recently posted video of Obama's challenger, Mitt Romney, making statements pertaining to how just under half of Americans do not pay income taxes and their votes do not matter to him. Mrs. Obama's speech, however, made no mention of this. She encouraged the audience to support the President because of the accomplishments he has done to help them, like increased college aid and the provision in the Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act that allows parents to keep their children on their health insurance policy until age 26.

The rally in Durham was designed to increase Democratic turnout in the election. Durham in particular has often voted Democratic, despite the state's somewhat conservative reputation and trend of sending Republican legislators to Washington. While Mr. Obama does not need North Carolina to ensure victory in November, it is one of the few battleground states that could help bolster his performance against Mr. Romney.

News Observer Article on First Lady's Appearance

North Carolina not as close as once predicted

A Politico blog post suggests that North Carolina is leaning towards Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney, which means that he could potentially cross that one off as one where his campaign no longer needs to focus resources there and can concentrate on the other battleground states.
The post cites an article by the Raleigh News Observer, writing that the Great Recession is responsible for destroying North Carolina's rise to prosperity in the South in the later 20th century. Now faced with a 9.6 percent unemployment rate, and President Obama's policies not helping their situation, the people are looking for a return to their former glory, as indicated by six of ten recent polls showing Romney leading Obama.

Politico Blog: Why North Carolina Leans Romney