smuelectionprojectnc

Once Battleground State, Finally Called

2008-11-07T09:35:00.001-08:00

North Carolina's 15 electoral votes are finally decided in Obama's favor. 50% to 49% with less than 200 votes making the difference. What a change for the usually Conservative state. Obama is the first Democratic president-elect to win since 1976 when Jimmy Carter carried the state.

Obama and McCain both spent much time traveling all over NC. Obama, of course, out-spent McCain by millions in TV ads and paid staff.

Another tight race was the Senate between incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Kay Hagan. North Carolinians also elected Beverly Perdue, their first female Governor.

Tar Heel Students Eager to Attend Inauguration

2008-11-07T08:52:00.000-08:00

North Carolina senator Richard Burr and various congressman have been bombarded by calls and letters from college students wanting to attend the 2009 inauguration in Washington D.C. They have made thousands of phone calls. Burrs spokesman says "We are trying to be as fair as possible." Hopefully these college students will get the chance to attend this historical event.

24 hours and counting...

2008-11-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

With only one day until election, North Carolina is completely on the line. According to Real Clear Politics NC polls show a dead tie between McCain and Obama.

Obama is holding a rally in Charlotte today, hoping to make a last push for North Carolinian votes. NC has voted Republican in the past, and even through this historical election it has been closer than ever. I still call this a McCain win tomorrow. He definitely needs NC's 20 electoral votes to have a shot at winning.

Also tomorrow will determine the intense senate race between incumbent Elizabeth Dole (R) and challenger Kay Hagan. There has been a lot of religious bashing which led to an unsettled lawsuit. I do think, however, that Dole will pull this one out. She is more experienced, and I don't see a Democratic senator this year.

Young Voters get Involved...Before They Can Vote

2008-11-02T22:01:00.000-08:00

High schools all around North Carolina report feelings of excitement with the upcoming presidential election. A small percent of seniors will have the opportunity to vote for the first time, but it is even younger students becoming involved. Hundreds are volunteering for both the McCain and Obama campaigns in their cities. From handing out flyers to putting together yard signs, these high schoolers will not be left out of this historical election.

About 30 students from Providence High will have the chance attend the inauguration in January with one of their teachers. SMU is offering the same chance. Students will be able to intern for various organizations through our Corporate Communications department.

Myers Park High had a 300 student turn out for an after school debate between pro-McCain and pro-Obama students. The Young Republicans and Young Democrats organized Facebook events for students to RSVP to the debates.

Obama is a said to be a role model for the 87% of Black students at West Charlotte High.16-year-old Angelique Robertson noted how important it is that he has gotten this far. "If he is not elected, maybe America still looks to a white man to run the country...but he is still a Senator. Black people still have power in high places." History and Government teachers here are using the election to relate the race issue to the suppression of Blacks in America.

It is important for high schools to excite students about the elections. Students are at the age where the issues are beginning to make sense. Some may see the struggles of their parents, others may recognize the historical significance of a female vice president or a Black president. Groups like Young Republicans and Young Democrats are great volunteer sources for campaigns. High school kids travel in packs. When one person is involved, they bring the whole crew. This is the future if higher young vote turn out. If kids are excited to finally be able to vote, they will.

2.5 Million Early Voters

2008-11-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Charlotte Observer reports that a record breaking 2.5 million North Carolinians voted early this year, which makes up 41 percent of registered voters in the now battleground state.

With the Dole - Hagan race becoming tighter, Obama and McCain are putting enormous efforts to win North Carolina's 15 electoral votes in the next 2 days.

Election officials at the polls did release information on the types of voters who cast their ballots early - more Democrats than Republicans and more Blacks than in 2004. Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling says that "Obama will go into Election Day with a 200,000 to 300,000 lead." The GOP "72-hour project" has a lot of work to do before Tuesday...people need an incentive to get to the polls.

Palin Wants the Job

2008-11-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

"We want to work for you! Will you hire us?" asked Palin at a rally in Raleigh today. This marks Palin's fourth visit to North Carolina. The rally attracted 5,000 people at the State Fairgrounds. Palin stayed close to her usual stump, promising victory in Iraq, no more corruption on Wall Street, and a stable economy. Sen. Richard Burr and Sen. Bob Dole also delivered enthusiastic speeches after Palin.

Gov. Palin also addressed the possibility of Democrats ruling government if Sen. Obama wins. With House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and numerous others, Palin warns "It's the far left-wing of the Democrat Party that is preparing to take over your entire federal government." With the tight Dole-Hagan race expected, people booed at the comment.

On a more personal note, Gov. Palin was greeted at the airport by 5 families of children with Down Syndrome and other disabling diseases. She reenforced the GOP plan to aid families of children with special needs. "These children are not a problem; they are a priority," she said.

I think 71-year-old retiree Robert Worthington shared sentiments of many elderly North Carolinians when he said he is excited with Palin on the GOP ticket, calling her the "moral backbone" of the campaign. Palin has a way of reaching out to others and seems to be making an impact in NC. In 2 days, we'll see how big of an impact.

Religion Gets Legal in Senate Race

2008-10-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

Democratic challenger Kay Hagan to sue Republican incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole for her ads accusing Hagan of accepting money from the Godless Americans Political Action Committee. The New Jersey based committee promotes separation of church and state as well as rights for atheists.

After Dole refused to pull the ad, Hagan filed a defamation and libel lawsuit on Thursday. Hagan then proceeded to fire back with her own ad accusing Dole of breaking the Bible's Ninth Amendment, bearing false witnesses. Dole's camp says they have no intention of taking the ad down, that the lawsuit is a "silly political gimmick."

It was presumed that Elizabeth Dole would have an easy win for the Senate seat that has been Republican for the past 35 years. However, now that Obama is up in the polls and exciting people in North Carolina, the race has become an interesting one. Obama has certainly boosted Hagan's campaign, she has a shot at it now. Dole's attack on the Presbyterian sunday school teacher may have been uncalled for. It was a risky move on her part. However, the lawsuit will not settle before election day...

Could the Dems take the Senate seat for the first time in over 3 decades?

10 Days to Go, NC a Tossup

2008-10-24T09:37:00.001-07:00

With only 10 days to final polls. CNN's recent polls show that NC is up for grabs. The polls are so close, it tough to call. A poll conducted Oct. 19-21 shows McCain 47% and Obama 51%.

Will McCain pull this one out? I think he's in trouble. The usually red state is looking purple right now. North Carolina has not voted Democrat in a presidential election since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

The influx of ads and rallies have pushed NC to a battleground state. New Rasmussen Report data suggests McCain has a 33% chance of winning the Tar Heels' electoral votes. On the other hand, ABC shows that Obama would need to win 40% of the white vote in order to carry the state.

Biden's bad analogies

2008-10-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

While speaking to a crowd of 1,500 at UNC today, Biden's analogy to Bush as a duck caught the attention of the Charlotte Observer.

"If it walks like a duck, if it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, it's a duck...well guess what? John McCain and Sarah Palin are quacking like George Bush." After he tried his luck with a NASCAR analogy...that didn't turn out so well. Republican spokesman Alex Conant said "Joe Biden is being loose with his 'rhetorical flourishes' again. To offer a more accurate NASCAR analogy than Biden did: If Obama wins, he will raise taxes and our economy will go from a yellow to red flag."

This was Biden's 3rd trip to North Carolina since the DNC. He continued on to Winston-Salem and Raleigh. Is his 'loose rhetoric' hurting the campaign?

Palin Watches Debates with "Real" Americans

2008-10-08T09:59:00.000-07:00

Fox News reports that Palin watched the debates last night at a local sports bar in Greenville, NC. North Carolina Senators Richard burr and Elizabeth Dole joined the Governor, who was wearing an East Carolina University jacket.

Palin said "I wanted to come to Greenville so I could watch the debates from here with a whole lot of real Americans, hard working Americans because you guys get it." Going along with her "Joe 6-pack" saying, I think this was a smart move for Palin. She has a way of making people feel comfortable around her and putting out the image that she, too is a "real" American with the people's best interest at heart.

As for the state of North Carolina, Palin's public speech sold out quickly. According to the Charlotte Observer Online, her visit can be attributed by the recent national and local polls showing Obama's surge in the state. Obama has recently been targeting North Carolina, a usually solid Republican state. Susan Lagana, the Communications Director of the NC Obama Campaign released a statement saying "North Carolina is in play, her visit here is a sign that they're running out of time."

The polls show that NC is becoming a swing state. Will the usually strong Republican state swing Left this year? This will be an interesting state to watch. I think the McCain camp should pay a little more attention to NC -they're not convinced just yet.

20,000 at Obama rally in Charlotte today

2008-09-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Sen. Obama visits Charlotte today speaking about the Wall Street crisis and the economy. According to the Charlotte Observer the police department estimated 20,000 people inside the gates and another 5,000-10,000 outside.

Obama criticized McCain over his economic philosophy saying, "...I do fault the economic policy he's followed during his 26 years in Washington. It's a philosophy that says it's ok to turn a blind eye to practices that reward financial manipulation..."

As the economic crisis deepens, both candidates have to stick to a very specific plan. The most promising plan will definitely turn out more voters.

Unemployment rate skyrockets

2008-09-19T10:21:00.001-07:00

Today the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina reported the highest unemployment rate since 2002. There was a 6.9% increase with over 4,400 jobs lost since August. This is the eighth consecutive month for the NC rate to rise, now putting the unemployment rate over the national average.

The economy for the '08 election is North Carolinians number one priority. Although NC is usually a Republican state, it will depend on which economic policy will help their economy recover faster.

National Race hurting Local Races?

2008-09-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

According to the Charlotte Observer, the state elections are having difficulties getting air time and PR due to all the national election coverage.

The Obama campaign hosted a major registration drive which now has the democratic voters outnumbering the republican voters at an 8 to 1 ratio. Sept. 6 - net gain of 176,806 new democrat voters compared to 21,672 new republican voters.

Palin is still a positive for North Carolinians however. Republican Sen. Richard Burr said, "Any woman who can skin a moose has a home in North Carolina..."

Gov. Race - Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue (D) vs. McCroy (R)

Senate Race - GOP incumbent Elizabeth Dole (R) vs. Kay Hagan (D)

Both races are extremely close. The Dems are hoping for a push from the national Dem. attention. Although the state officials are being covered up, maybe the national ticket will be helpful!

More to come!

national election making it harder on state

2008-09-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

According to the Charlotte Observer, the state elections are having difficulties getting air time and PR due to all the national election coverage.

The Obama campaign hosted a major registration drive which now has the democratic voters outnumbering the republican voters at an 8 to 1 ratio.

Poll tossup

2008-09-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

Published on CQ Politics Poll Tracker says that according to numerous surveys, it is a tossup whether McCain has a comfortable lead on Obama.

Research 2000 poll (Sept.8-10): McCain 55 - Obama 38

Civitas Institute poll (Sept 6-10): McCain 47 - Obama 44

Public Policy polling survey (Sept 9): McCain 48 - Obama 44

Although the margins are inconsistent, it still looks like a win for McCain.

Only 50 days to go

2008-09-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

In NC there are more registered Democrat voters than Republicans. (2,533,424 to 1,922,047), so why has the state voted Republican the last 8 years? In 2000, Bush won 56% to 44%, and in 2004 Bush won 56% to 43%. Also, NC has been represented by more Democrats in the House & Senate. (National Journal Online Almanac)

Senate: 31 D 19 R

House: 68 D 52 R

I call this a McCain win. Even with their Dem. backings.

More to come!

NC-A Woman's World

2008-09-10T21:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/politics/story/177566.html

Women are taking over the political arena more than ever in North Carolina. Democratic hopeful, Beverly Perdue is running for NC's first female governor spot. To top it off, six women are running for Council of State.

As the article states, women make up a mere 16 percent of house and senate, but in NC women are 26 percent of General Assembly!

NC also ranks #19 for number of women in state legislature (Center for American Women and Politics)

Needless to say, Gov. Palin is a hit for NC!