60http://andrewjacksondem.comenCarolinaDemCarolinaDemjasonkessler77@hotmail.comnohttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/21/johnston-democrats-fail-to-capitalize.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemAcross the country last week, Democrats celebrated wins in races from the White House to the schoolhouse. But the celebration was muted for the Johnston County Democratic Party, which had hoped to color blue a county dominated by Republicans since the mid-1990s. Of the 18 partisan races on the Johnston County ballot, Democrats won just three, and those were congressional and Council of State contests. No local Democrat won election in a partisan race.Smithfield HeraldThe Johnston County Democratic Party is commended on fielding a two exceptional candidates for State Representative (Jimmy Garner) and State Senate (Kay Carroll). ...Johnston County Politicshttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/21/johnston-democrats-fail-to-capitalize.aspx#Comments4111f427-47d4-418f-ae4b-dfb2340f2e10Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:10:55 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/21/cumberland-gop-chair-asks-for-new-election.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemThe local Republican Party is protesting the results of this month’s Cumberland County commissioner race, arguing that thousands of voters used fictitious or incorrect addresses. GOP Chairman Ralph Reagan is calling for a new election in the commissioner race. He said a customized database comparing addresses of registered voters with information from by the Postal Service shows thousands of discrepancies. Among the alleged problems, he said, were voter registrations with streets that don’t exist in Cumberland County or incorrect address numbers. In many cases involving the questionable votes, he said, people moved somewhere else before their ballot was ...NC Elections 2008http://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/21/cumberland-gop-chair-asks-for-new-election.aspx#Commentsb83435da-0d99-4740-b14e-9a7ee18007d0Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:27:31 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/19/its-only-been-15-days.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemIt has only been 15 days since the book was closed on Campaign 2008 but for political junkies who eat, sleep, and breathe the electoral process, Campaign 2010 started the morning after Nov. 4! After my election hangover, I decided to sit down and look at key races in 2010 and the most obvious place to start was the battle for control of the United States Senate.After losing seats for the second election cycle in-a-row, Republicans will look to chip away at what will be a large Democratic majority. The problem for the GOP is that many incumbent ...Political Analysishttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/19/its-only-been-15-days.aspx#Comments8c6abef2-5226-4f3b-935c-7243d1b983a7Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:38:23 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/19/a-sign-of-the-times.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemThe state is ordering school districts to return $58 million. The education cuts are part of across-the-board budget cuts ordered by Gov. Mike Easley to make up a budget shortfall that could be as high as $2 billion. The shortfall is being caused by the poor economy, which means the state is collecting less tax revenue. Without cuts the state might not be able to make ends meet by next June.News and ObserverIt is a sad time when schools are asked to send back money from their budgets. After failing to increase funding for students and teachers ...Issues and Ideashttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/19/a-sign-of-the-times.aspx#Comments4b9f3a31-da79-4fa3-adf2-cb2507940fc6Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:56:47 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/19/meek-to-step-down.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemJerry Meek, who for the last four years has presided over a resurgent Democratic Party, said he plans to step down at the end of his term in January as party chairman. "I have enjoyed the last four years," Meek said. "It's unlikely I could do anything in six years that I didn't do in four." Meek said the state Democratic Executive Committee would meet on January 31st to choose a new party chief. Typically, the party chair is chosen by the governor, in this case Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue, Rob Christensen.News and ObserverJerry Meek has been a ...North Carolina Politicshttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/19/meek-to-step-down.aspx#Commentsd95925cf-e7ac-4a67-b3a3-a82b6cf0f311Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:51:17 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/19/republicans-looking-to-2012.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemGood morning and thank you for your patience. I took a much needed break from blogging and all things politics for the past two weeks and am now ready to get back to offering information and analysis on today's political events. I have been searching through a number of websites, reading articles, and researching history over the past couple of days. I have been analyzing the conservative reaction to the 2008 election and am thinking seriously about the possiblity of writing a book on the future of the conservative movement in the United States. I have ...Political Analysishttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/19/republicans-looking-to-2012.aspx#Comments406314fa-df42-4835-95d1-46c3b1e55241Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:43:36 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/04/for-democrats-the-test-is-in-two-years.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemIn some elections you win, but lose. In other elections you lose, but win. On this most exciting of election mornings, Americans are casting their ballots and will determine the direction our nation will take for the coming years. Who would have believed that eight years ago during the fiasco of the 2000 election we would be waking up on election morning with the strong possibility of electing the first African-American President. Democrats lost 2000, but in the long run we won.Who would have thought that in 1992 as the country elected a youthful, idealistic Governor ...Political Analysishttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/11/04/for-democrats-the-test-is-in-two-years.aspx#Commentsc17d9049-c754-431b-b411-6c74aceb2c94Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:36:20 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/25/hagan-mccrory-lead-in-latest-nc-polls.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemCapitalizing on the message of change, U.S. Senate candidate Democrat Kay Hagan and NC Gubenatorial candidate Republican Pat McCrory have taken slim leads in recent polling conducted by Survey USA. The polling was done between October 18-21. North Carolina: Hagan Ahead of Dole It’s 49% for state Sen. Kay Hagan (D), 42% for US Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R), says the latest PPP survey (D). It’s a bit tighter, says a SurveyUSA poll taken October 18-20, with 46% for Hagan, 45% for Dole. A Rasmussen survey released October 10 showed Hagan leading 48% to 45%. North ...NC Elections 2008North Carolina Politicshttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/25/hagan-mccrory-lead-in-latest-nc-polls.aspx#Comments8fa8e4c2-47d3-4883-b104-515234c59144Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:46:00 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/25/georgia-a-battle-ground-state.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemA new InsiderAdvantage / Poll Position survey shows Georgia is a toss-up state in both the U.S. Senate and presidential campaigns. In the presidential race, Barack Obama has a slight edge over John McCain, although it is within the margin of error. In the U.S. Senate race, Saxby Chambliss has a 2-point edge over Jim Martin, although it, too, is within the margin of error. The two polls were conducted last night, each with 615 registered, likely voters. The margin of errors for both is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.Southern Political ReportA ...Southern Politicshttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/25/georgia-a-battle-ground-state.aspx#Commentsa207655c-64d6-40a2-ac6e-d3188b9f1cceSat, 25 Oct 2008 18:36:09 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/07/mccrory-vs-perdue-still-leaning-blue.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemBev Perdue 46Pat McCrory 43Michael Munger 4After refocusing her campaign on the economy over the last week, Bev Perdue has taken back the lead for Governor.Perdue's ad campaign of late has tied Pat McCrory to George W. Bush's economic policies while also talking about what she would do to help things out if she was elected. Where last week she had a 48-38 lead among voters most concerned about the economy that has now increased to a 56-35 advantage. Starting to talk more about the issue that 60% of the electorate names as its top concern may have been the ...NC Elections 2008http://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/07/mccrory-vs-perdue-still-leaning-blue.aspx#Commentsf9ac911b-bd9e-40e8-b27d-e42ddd09675eTue, 07 Oct 2008 13:13:30 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/06/states-largest-newspaper-dalton-right-blend-of-expereience-judgment-and-temperment.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemDalton and Pittenger represent distinctly different points of view and give voters significantly different choices. Pittenger is a conservative Republican who went to Raleigh to change the way the state does business. He concentrated on pinpointing government waste and sought to convince his Senate colleagues to significantly reduce spending, refocus resources, cut taxes and keep a sharper eye on financial matters. He fostered some support for performance auditing of parts of the budget, but he was not successful in bringing about wholesale change in the state Senate. He has not been a major player in Senate affairs and has often ...NC Elections 2008http://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/06/states-largest-newspaper-dalton-right-blend-of-expereience-judgment-and-temperment.aspx#Commentsbc8a6deb-31ae-4291-897c-5d6a11e3ab95Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:02:53 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/06/calendar-of-events-week-of-october-6-2008.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemIt is hard to believe that there are only 29 days until Election 2008! It seems like only yesterday, we were watching results from the Iowa Caucus trickle in showing the explosion of Senator Barack Obama on the national political scene. As you can expect, the calendar if full of events in the Wake County area for you to attend. Have a great work week!Wake County Politicshttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/06/calendar-of-events-week-of-october-6-2008.aspx#Commentsc3700c6a-5a74-4af9-b4f0-ec3e0c119389Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:15:22 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/06/governor-palin-to-visit-greenville.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemGOVERNOR PALIN'S VISIT ON TUESDAY Tuesday, October 7, 2008Doors Open at 4:00 PMWilliams Arena at Minges ColiseumEast Carolina University1 Ficklen DriveGreenville, NC 27858**Please Note: No Bags or Signs Will be Permitted to be Carried Through Security**The Republican Vice Presidential Nominee will be traveling to North Carolina on Tuesday, October 7th, for a Road to Victory Rally. After the rally concludes, please stick around and join fellow McCain-Palin supporters to watch the 2nd Presidential Debate.Limited Number of Tickets To Be Released MondayThe Victory ...Presidential Election 2008http://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/06/governor-palin-to-visit-greenville.aspx#Comments9f9553f2-851a-4da5-aef2-7967a9bb561cMon, 06 Oct 2008 10:09:45 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/02/obama-increases-tar-heel-poll-lead.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemFor the second straight weekly poll, Barack Obama holds a slight advantage over John McCain in the traditionally Republican state of North Carolina. It’s Obama 50%, McCain 47% in the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Tar Heel State voters. A week ago, Obama held a two point advantage. This change comes as Obama has opened a fairly stable lead nationally in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll. In North Carolina, Obama now leads by twelve among women while McCain leads by ten among men. Obama leads among voters under 40 while McCain is on ...NC Elections 2008http://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/02/obama-increases-tar-heel-poll-lead.aspx#Comments21be3000-efff-48a9-9882-08e702ddc9e5Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:59:43 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/02/nc-senate-race-now-a-toss-up.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemMost observers are amazed that Senator Elizabeth Dole is in trouble at the hands of Democrat Kay Hagan, a state senator. We still have a hard time believing she will lose, but this outcome is now very much in the realm of possibility. The contest began as LIKELY REPUBLICAN, later changed to LEANS R. Now we are moving it from LEANS REPUBLICAN to TOSS UP for the first time. We are monitoring this battle on a daily basis. Most polls show Dole with a slight lead, but less than 50%--the key safety margin for incumbents, and there are whispers that ...Election 2008http://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/02/nc-senate-race-now-a-toss-up.aspx#Comments1de31e84-ea8f-4135-8b00-198834756037Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:06:20 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/01/the-breaking-wave.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemThe Republican Party is facing the prospect of a major defeat on November 4. The economic chaos on Wall Street and among large banks across the nation is being touted as the worse financial crisis since the Great Depression. In the past several weeks, major investment firms have gone belly up. A number of large banks, including some in the South, have avoided bankruptcy by shot-gun marriage -- often arranged by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) -- with a larger and more stable rival. Not only did this happen on the watch of a Republican president, but ...Election 2008http://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/10/01/the-breaking-wave.aspx#Commentsad64588b-b129-4ec8-b082-1eee5a405a87Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:56:43 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/09/25/breaking-obama-takes-first-nc-lead-in-polls.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemBarack Obama has a two-point advantage over John McCain in the traditionally Republican state of North Carolina. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Tar Heel State shows Obama attracting 49% of the vote while McCain earns 47%. A week ago, McCain held a three-point edge. This is the first time in eight Rasmussen Reports polls that Obama has held any kind of a lead in North Carolina, though the candidates were tied once as well. The candidates have now been within three points of each other in six of the last seven polls. The ...NC Elections 2008http://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/09/25/breaking-obama-takes-first-nc-lead-in-polls.aspx#Commentse75eeb7d-9326-4a32-b7e0-4e2c8d849ac3Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:47:49 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/09/22/states-attempt-to-stop-voter-suppression.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemNow that the party nominating conventions have passed and the presidential race has reached its final leg, voter suppression efforts are shifting into high gear around the country. As each campaign assembles an army of lawyers to protect their interests leading to and on election day, state and local partisans are engaging in a wide variety of tactics to prevent their opponents' supporters from casting a ballot. Once again these underhanded tactics, which we've highlighted before, are predominantly coming from right wing operatives, and the targets are overwhelmingly groups that tend to vote for progressive candidates. Since the beginning of ...Current Eventshttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/09/22/states-attempt-to-stop-voter-suppression.aspx#Commentsc39e2f8f-854b-49b4-b410-630c29051dadMon, 22 Sep 2008 16:28:41 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/09/22/community-schools-movement-gains-momentum.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemPublic schools will have more success if they pay attention not only to students' lives in the classroom, but also to the multiple elements of their development: social, emotional, physical, cognitive, civic, and moral. Working alone, schools or families may not be able to provide students with the support needed for academic success, but community schools are an approach to public schools that provide diverse activities and programs for students, families, and community members in order to focus on nurturing all the aspects of students' well-being. By coordinating partnerships between the school and other community resources, these ...Issues and Ideashttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/09/22/community-schools-movement-gains-momentum.aspx#Comments6e75e89e-f6d2-48ea-afab-588880e63196Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:23:47 GMThttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/09/22/calendar-of-events-september-22-to-october-5-2008.aspx?ref=rssCarolinaDemThis week's calendar includes events until October 5, 2008. The author of the calendar will be away for the next few weeks and I feel it is important that everyone has this information because of the upcoming election. There are many election related events on the docket in the coming two weeks. Hope you can get out and participate.Wake County Politicshttp://andrewjacksondem.com/2008/09/22/calendar-of-events-september-22-to-october-5-2008.aspx#Comments1157674f-4572-427d-adfb-6fe3d9fb79f6Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:20:16 GMT