Triangle races

Despite the widespread use of the term "Triangle" to refer to the Raleigh-Durham area, there is no real Triangle to speak of when it comes to politics. Not only are we divided into three Congressional districts, the dynamics of our legislative races are wide ranging and tightly focused in individual districts.

Most of the real action this year is in Wake County, where two races in particular are up for grabs. In District 36, progressive Greer Beaty is challenging Nelson Dollar, a run-of-the-mill Republican government-hater whose website perpetuates right-wing lies about North Carolina's tax rates. Dollar also spouts the Puppetmaster's delusions about using lottery proceeds to pay for badly needed school construction. As Chris Fitzsimon at NC Policy Watch says, this is just more deception by Republicans about the lottery.

In District 41, Ty Harrell is a bright new progressive face challenging the homophobic, xenophobic wacko named Russell Capps who currently holds the seat.

According to one insider, "the results of these races will say a lot about where NC’s urban areas are headed with the influx of more moderate GOP and independent voters." Here's hoping the so-called "moderate" GOP voters pull their heads out of sand and confront the reality that most Republicans running for the NC state house are kool-aid drinking Puppets hell-bent on destroying excellence in public service.

(There's more.)

Over in the 37th district, Ed Ridpath - a really good guy - is running against Paul Stam, yet another government-hater who just looooooves having a job in the legislature at taxpayer's expense. None of these Republican @$$holes actually refuse to take their per diem payments for their work in the NC House, which goes to show what a bunch of two-faced hypocrites they are. People watching this campaign say Ridpath is running smart - and inspiring a lot of folks to work for him.

Finally, there's the long-shot race where the wonderful Gerry Bowles is taking it to incumbent Neal Hunt, yet ANOTHER person who wants to shred public services. Insiders give the edge to Hunt, but at least one observer says Bowles is creating her own "Kissell Effect" and building some powerful grass-roots momentum.

I have to tip my hat to all these good Democrats and I wish them the best in taking on the Party of Greed, Torture and Perversion.

A

PS I also want to apologize. I didn't manage to get our BlueNC Act Blue page off the ground this year. Many of the candidates I wanted to feature didn't set up their own Act Blue pages (a prerequisite for us to link them in), but more important, I dropped the ball on pushing for this. In 08, we'll need to get started earlier and with more discipline to identify progressive candidates worthy of support.