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
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