CJ History Lesson: The balance of power in NC Politics since Reconstruction

RALEIGH – A lot of emphasis has been placed on North Carolina in recent presidential election cycles as a ‘swing state.’ Some politicians and pollsters refer to North Carolina as a ‘purple state.’ The history of political power in North Carolina, and how it’s been shared over the years, reveals less of a tug of war, and more a domination (by Democrats).

And despite the growing Urban/Rural Divide, and ‘Blue’ metro/suburban nodes of current day, it’s the Republicans that have actually been surging of late in the bigger picture.

The different weights, between parties and branches, are all presented in a history lesson by Carolina Journal on the balance of political power in the Old North State since reconstruction.

From CJ:

“From the end of the Civil War through much of the 20th century, North Carolina effectively was a one-party state: Democratic.

Democrats held control of the executive branch from 1901-1973. Republican Jim Holshouser interrupted the Democratic streak for four years and then the other Jims, Democrat Hunt and Republican Martin, resided in the Executive Mansion for the next quarter century. Hunt won two-term tenures from 1977-84 and 1993-2000. Martin served the eight years in between Hunt’s terms.

Since Mike Easley was elected in 2000, Democrats have continued their streak as governors for all but one term, Pat McCrory’s, from 2013-16. […]”

But just because the Democrats seems to have a grip on the governor’s mansion, the legislature, as the infographic shows below, doesn’t follow the dame pattern.

Read how the General Assembly tells a different story [HERE].