I understand what you're saying but understand from OUR point of view. Elizabeth Dole epitomizes everything that is wrong with this state. Someone coming into our state who hasn't lived here and doesn't know what the conservative side of the house should look like in NC. Her idea of conservatism might be conservative in NY, California, heck even some of the Midwest states. But it's not what many would call conservative down here.
Am I sectionalizing this? You bet I am. I have been flamed for this before and will get flamed for it again and again. But it's true. Your idea of conservative to many in my state would be considered moderate at best. Conservative and liberal don't necessarily break down to Democrat and Republican. I know many Democrats that are close personal friends, and some even family, that are generally more conservative than I am. And they won't vote for Bowles. They probably would vote for Jim Parker except for the R in beside his name. But they do cross from time to time and we saw some of that as far back as Reagan. There are some areas in this state that if you are not a Democrat, you don't run for office. And they're not liberal areas either. They are you might say areas that hold a long grudge.
And what has happened over the past 20-30 years is that liberals realized this and capitalized on it. We have a lot of straight ticket voters in this state. On one side you have the Democrats who would vote for a Democrat because that's just what you're supposed to do. They think Democrat because that's what their father's father's father was and the Democrats are the Southern party. Along with the backing by the teachers' association that pretty much describes how Jim Hunt got into office four times. Not that anybody actually agreed with him, it's just you vote Democrat. Then over the past 20 years, you've got a HUGE influx of population. A bunch of yuppie yankees (no offense). They don't necessarily agree with the liberal Democrats but their ideas of conservative are more fiscal than social. Save me money but don't tell me the difference between right and wrong. And the RNC sees this so they give us someone like Liddy. So we have a quandry.
Guys I don't know if this is how you see it, but from my perspective of living in the Piedmont, the mountains, and the sandhills over the years, it's my opinion
All the dyed in the wool conservatives here did the same thing in our Republican primary. No outsiders going to give us a RINO for our Republican gubernatorial nominee. A pure conservative is the only thing they'll vote.
Fine, now we have a pure conservative that Republicans don't even know for sure is honest after Davis chewed him to pieces. So, we say goodbye to the governor's chair to a man who most voters don't want in a bet, but they want a crook even less.
So Bowles is going to be your new Senator? I feel as sorry for you as I am for us stuck with Davis for another four years.
The only thing I can find so far is a Washington Times story from early July that Dole is running like an incumbent, keeping a low profile and taking the high road because she has the most name recognition. But that can backfire if her supporters aren't energized to go to the polls and the purist conservatives are energized to go "show them" that outsiders ain't gonna tell us how to vote.
Either of you have any rising poll numbers for Snyder or sinking poll numbers for Dole to give credence to your gut feelings?
Or can you give me the name or website of a big North Carolina newspaper that I could browse in?