North Carolina Democratic Party

North Carolina Democratic Party
Chairperson Patsy Keever
Senate leader Dan Blue
House leader Larry Hall
Founded 1828
Headquarters 220 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27603
Ideology Liberalism
Progressivism
Social liberalism
Political position Center-left
National affiliation Democratic Party
Colors Blue
Seats in the Upper House
16 / 50
Seats in the Lower House
46 / 120
Website
www.ncdp.org

The North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) is the North Carolina affiliate of the national Democratic Party in the United States. It is headquartered in the historic Goodwin house, which is located in the downtown area of Raleigh at 220 Hillsborough Street.[1]

History

The second party system emerged from a divide in the Democratic-Republican party in 1828. They split off into two groups, the Democrats, led by Andrew Jackson, and the Whigs. In North Carolina, people from the west and northeast supported the Whigs mainly because they wanted education and internal improvements to help with the economy. Meanwhile, Eastern North Carolina was dominated by wealthy planters who tended to oppose activist government. Over time, the Democrats slowly came to support many of the Whig policies on internal improvements. For the first time in history voters were splitting off into one of the two parties. In the 1850s the Whigs were split by the issue of slavery. Former Confederates and Whigs eventually formed the Conservative Party and opposed the reconstruction policies enacted by the U.S. Congress following the Civil War.[2] By 1870, the two main parties were the Conservatives (who changed their name to "Democratic-Conservatives"[3] and then to Democrats by 1876), and the Republicans (GOP).[4]

Before the 1960s many of the white leaders of the NCDP, as was the case with most state parties in the then one-party South, supported racial segregation. But beginning with the Republicans' 1964 Presidential campaign and Richard Nixon's "Southern Strategy" in 1968, many with such views - such as TV commentator Jesse Helms, who went on to serve several terms in the U.S. Senate - flocked to the Republican party. Since then, the majority of minority voters have joined moderate and progressive white voters to make NCDP values consistent with those of the national Democratic party. Jimmy Carter carried North Carolina in the Presidential campaign of 1976, but from 1980-2004 the Republican nominee for the presidency won the state.

In spite of the largely conservative bent of North Carolina's politics, a number of liberal Democrats, such as Terry Sanford and John Edwards, have been elected to represent the state at the federal level. Edwards was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, the wife of Republican Senator and Presidential candidate Bob Dole - and a one-time presidential candidate herself - was defeated for reelection in 2008 by Kay Hagan, the same year Barack Obama carried the state in his victory over Republican John McCain by a margin of less than one half of a percentage point.[5]

Recent electoral results

2006

North Carolina Democrats scored impressive victories in the 2006 general elections, increasing their majorities in both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly and defeating incumbent Republican Congressman Charles H. Taylor. In addition, most candidates backed by Democrats in the non-partisan races for the North Carolina Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected. These victories came despite controversies surrounding Jim Black, a Democrat and former Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives. The State Board of Elections ruled that Black's campaign illegally accepted corporate contributions and checks with the payee line left blank. He pleaded guilty to a federal corruption charge, after denying charges through the November 2006 election. He won re-election by just seven votes in a heavily Democratic district, but resigned from office in 2007.[6][7]

2008

In 2008, the North Carolina Democratic Party once again earned major victories in state and federal elections. For the first time since 1976, the Democratic nominee carried North Carolina in the presidential election. Meanwhile, Kay Hagan was elected to the U.S. Senate over incumbent Elizabeth Dole, and Beverly Perdue was elected governor to succeed fellow Democrat Mike Easley.

2010

In 2010, however, Republicans swept North Carolina, taking control of both houses of the General Assembly for the first time since 1896, reelecting Richard Burr to a second term by double digits, and unseating incumbent Democratic Rep. Bob Etheridge.

2012

Bev Perdue retired as Governor and the Democratic nominee for Governor, Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina Walter H. Dalton was defeated in the general election to Republican Pat McCrory. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell was unseated and Reps Heath Shuler and Brad Miller both retired and their seats were gained by Republicans.

2014

2014 saw Incumbent Senator Kay Hagan defeated for re-election and the seat of Rep. Mike McIntyre who had retired was taken by a Republican. Democrats in the North Carolina House of Representatives flipped four seats from Republican held districts in Wake and Buncombe counties. The state party also saw success in the non-partisan races for North Carolina Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

NCDP organizations

[8]

State Leadership

The state party chair is Patsy Keever, who was elected in 2015. The chair is elected by and leads the state Executive Committee, a body of more than 700 Democratic Party leaders and activists from all 100 counties, which governs the party.[9] Zack Hawkins is the first vice chair, Veleria Levy is the second vice chair, Andy Ball is the third vice chair and Melvin Williams is the secretary.[10]

Current elected officials

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

U.S. House of Representatives

Statewide offices

State Legislature

State House

Old House of Representatives Chamber, used until 1963 at the State Capitol.

There are forty two North Carolina Democratic house members. They are listed below.[11]

Representative District Representative District
Vacating after Alma Adams 58th Kelly M. Alexander, Jr. 107th
Nathan Baskerville 32nd Larry M. Bell 21st
Marcus Brandon 60th William D Brissom 22nd
Becky Carney 102nd Tricia Ann Cotham 100th
Carla D. Cunningham 106th Beverly M. Earle 101st
Beverly M. Earle 101st Jean Farmer-Butterfield 24th
Susan C. Fisher 114th Elmer Floyd 43rd
Rosa U. Gill 33rd Rick Glazier 45th
Ken Goodman 66th Charles Graham 47th
George Graham 12th Duane Hall 11th
Larry D. Hall 29th Susi H. Hamilton 18th
Ed Hanes 72nd Pricey Harrison 57th
Yvonne Lewis-Holley 38th Verla Inkso 56th
Marvin W. Lucas 42nd Paul Luebke 30th
Grier Martin 34th Greg R. Meyer 50th
Micky Michaux, Jr. 31st Annie W. Mobley 3rd
Rodney M. Moore 99th Garland E. Pierce 48th
Joe Sam Queen 119th Bobbie Richardson 7th
Evelyn Terry 71st Paul Tine 6th
Joe P. Tolson 23rd Ken Waddell 46th
Winkie Wilkins 2nd Michael H. Wray 27th

State Senate

Old Senate Chamber of North Carolina, used until 1963 construction of separate state legislative building.

There are fifteen North Carolina Democratic Senators. They are listed below. [12]

Senator District Senator District
Clark Jenkins 3rd Angela Bryant 4th
Don Davis 5th Linda Garrou 32nd
Micheal Walters 13th Daniel T Blue, Jr. 14th
Josh Stein 16th Floyd B. McKissick, Jr. 20th
Ben Clark 21st Mike Woodward 22nd
Valerie Foushee 23rd Gene McLaurin 25th
Earline Parmon 32nd Joel Ford 38th
Malcolm Graham 40th

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Goodwin House – North Carolina Democratic Party". www.ncdp.org. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  2. ↑ "The North Carolina Election of 1898 · UNC Libraries". www.lib.unc.edu. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  3. ↑ Address of the Central Executive Committee
  4. ↑ "Whigs and Democrats - North Carolina Digital History". www.learnnc.org. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  5. ↑ "President Map - Election Results 2008". The New York Times.
  6. ↑ http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=central&id=5031714
  7. ↑ http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/jimblack/
  8. ↑ http://www.ncdp.org/pages/ncdp-organizations
  9. ↑ http://www.ncdp.org/node/1526
  10. ↑ NC Democratic Party
  11. ↑ "North Carolina General Assembly - N.C. Representatives (2015-2016 Session)". www.ncga.state.nc.us. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  12. ↑ "Members". NC Senate Democratic Caucus. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
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