NC REAX TO STUNNING

ROE v WADE NEWS

By Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

North Carolinians, as was the rest of the country, were stunned  by Monday night’s unprecedented revelation by Politico that a majority of the conservative-led U.S. Supreme Court has voted to overturn the controversial 1973 Roe v. Wade decision which gave American women the right to a legal abortion.

Politico’s reporting was based, it said, on a leaked draft of a majority opinion written in February by conservative Associate Justice Samuel Alito. Observers say it is not a final opinion, but given the High Court’s 6-3 conservative majority, it is seen as indicative of the final ruling.

North Carolina political figures, like Democrat U.S. Senatorial candidate Cheri Bealey, immediately reacted to the report.

“If confirmed, this decision is the moment we have feared, warned and fought against. It is terrifying for women across the country,” Beasley, a former chief justice of the NC Supreme Court said in a statement.

Calling abortion “a constitutional right,” Beasley continued, “ This horrifying news -- and Washington's failure to eliminate the filibuster and codify Roe v. Wade to protect our rights -- has shown us exactly what is at stake and it is more urgent than ever that we elect leaders who will stand up for our fundamental freedoms in the U.S. Senate.”

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper let it be known on Twitter that “Now, more than ever, governors and state legislatures must stand up for women’s healthcare. We know the stakes and must stand firm to protect a woman’s choice and access to medical care.”

Planned Parenthood of South Atlantic NC made it clear that until that Supreme Court draft opinion is published (expected sometime in late June, early July), abortion remains legal in all fifty states.

“We have reached a crisis moment for abortion access,” PPSANC said.

The North Carolina Justice Center said, in part, “The damage to the nation, the Court, and the Constitution this draft opinion portends is so severe and potentially irreparable that we can only hope reconsideration at the Court occurs in the next several months.  No opinion is worth the destructive effects this opinion would usher forth.” 

Democrats, by and large, see this news as jumpstarting their November midterm election chances to attract angry women voters to the polls. Pres. Biden vowed to codify Roe v. Wade, asking voters to make sure they elect pro choice Democrats to do so.

Former Congressman Mark Walker, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate tweeted, “Keep praying and speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

And embattled North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorne proudly took Twitter to say “Because of Donald J. Trump, Roe v. Wade will be overturned.

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                                                                   CHERI BEASLEY

POLLS SHOW BEASLEY

1N TOUGH U.S. SENATE RACE 

AGAINST REPUBLICANS

By Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

With inflation high, gas prices higher, and a train wreck of an economy, polls say Democrats are looking at an electoral bloodbath come the November mid-term elections.

Traditionally, the midterms are when the party in power loses seats in Congress and the state legislature, primarily because Americans aren’t pleased with the direction the country is headed in.

To that end, North Carolina’s marquee midterms race for the U.S. already looks like a tough haul for Democrats, especially U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley, long before even the May 17th primaries. Beasley, a former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, leads an 11-candidate Democratic field of mostly unknowns going into the primaries. She is better funded, and recently began a slew of campaign television ads to solidify her lead and expected primary win.

On the Republican side, four headliners lead the 14 candidate field - 

the Trump-backed Congressman Ted Budd; former Gov. Pat McCrory; former Congressman Mark Walker and  retired military veteran Marjorie K. Eastman.

Among Republicans, Budd and McCrory remain close at the top, but one thing the polls are showing for November - any of the top three may have an edge over Democrat Cheri Beasley if she, in fact, becomes the Democratic standard bearer headed into the fall.

And it’s not just in her race.

As indicated before, polls of likely general election midterm voters are showing an overall favorability towards Republicans primarily because of disenchantment with Pres. Biden and his policies.

A Civitas poll from the week of April 14-18 shows a 52% GOP favorability across the board, with no signs of that changing.

In the U.S. Senate, where there is a 50-50 tie between Democrats and Republicans, there are 14 Democrat seats and 21 Republican seats up for grabs. Per North Carolina, Democrats are vying for the open seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Richard Burr. Thus, Beasley is key to Democrats at least gaining one seat, as well as holding onto 13 others, in order to retain control of the Senate.

But conservative media is already blunt about Beasley’s chances for victory in November. The Carolina Journal last week wrote, “Any money invested in the U.S. Senate race to elect Cheri Beasley would be a complete waste.”

Republicans are hopeful that voters in North Carolina’s rural areas will continue their rejection of Democratic candidates come election time.

The polls also hold good tidings for legislative Republicans in the NC House and Senate, even with new redistricting maps. Given the polls, it is possible, some observers say, that Republicans could win supermajorities in both Houses, in addition to a majority of the NC Supreme Court.

There’s still plenty of time before the November midterms, but for some, the writing is on the wall.

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PRIMARIES ARE FOR 

CHOOSING YOUR

PARTY’S NOVEMBER

CANDIDATES

By Cash Michaels

        Historically, far fewer people vote in the primaries than the general elections, and during North Carolina’s early voting period for the upcoming May 17th primaries, it’s easy to forget what they are really for.

Party primaries, either Democrat or Republican, are for the sole purpose of choosing from among several candidates who are vying to run for a particular public office come the November general elections. Primaries are usually when the party’s most faithful decide which candidate will represent them in the general election.

So if ten Democrats or Republicans decide they want to be chosen to represent their respective party in the general election, they compete in a primary to attract the most votes in order to be selected, in this case on May 17, for that right.

That means you shouldn’t wait until the November general election to decide whether you like a particular candidate from your party. The time to make your choice as to whom you would like to represent your party in November for a particular public office is now, during the early voting period which ends on May 14th (check your local county board of elections for daily poll opening and closing times, and locations), and on primary day, May 17th.

Hopefully, on May 17th, other voters will agree with your choice in order to garner the most votes to  nominate your candidate to compete in the November election.

But what happens if your primary candidate loses the party primary? Then you research the primary winner, find the areas where you agree, and , if you so deem, support that party nominee in November against the opposing party candidate, whom you should have already determined you don’t agree with.

Primaries are usually when the party’s most faithful decide which candidate will represent them in the general election. Once that’s done, however, most candidates, in an effort to attract as many voters are possible in November, move from the political extreme (right or left) to the middle in order to make their positions more palatable to a wider electorate.

Sometimes this tactic works. Sometimes it doesn’t, and some nominees are then seen as not being true to their word to the party faithful.

That’s why it is important to hold candidates to their word on issues and policies during both primary and general elections. To do that, research your candidates. See if they are making different promises in different parts of town, to different groups.

In short, do you homework about the party candidates placed before you in both the primary and  general elections. Discuss the candidates and their positions with your friends and neighbors. Don’t take your right to vote for granted. It’s too important.

According go the NC State Board of Elections races for this primary include:

         The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

The N.C. General Assembly.

The N.C. Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

           Registered voters across the state can vote in the primary. However

voters affiliated with any political party will be given a ballot 

of candidates for their party. Unaffiliated voters may choose the ballot of 

candidates for any party primary.

           For more vital information on primary voting go to https://

www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election.

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