The Rev. Barber-Loving Social Justice Warrior Challenging Tillis in 2020

RALEIGH – Candidates are lining up to challenge U.S. Senator Thom Tillis’ in 2020. A state senator, a Mecklenburg County commissioner, and attorney Eva Lee are among the Democrats seeking to unseat Tillis. Lee, of Wake County, announced her intentions way back in July 2017, saying she was inspired to run by the social justice rhetoric of Rev. William Barber of ‘Moral Monday’ fame.

Now, Tillis is no prize. The U.S. Senator by way of N.C. House Speaker likes to play the conservative buzzword game when on the campaign trail, but the last 4+ years have proven how hollow those words were. Now he is most reliably carrying water for Democrats, boasting of bipartisan efforts, and denigrating the ‘Far Right.’

That being said, Lee represents the kind of dangerous postmodern politics that even Tillis would oppose. (Hopefully)

On her campaign website Lee hits all the right notes in order to sing in tune with the social justice movements of the Left.

• “I live with gerrymandered districts and now over 7 years and 10M of litigation. I come from the land of HB2. “Hate Bill 2.””
• “I will interrupt the school to prison pipeline. I will reunite families instead of tearing them apart. I will make sure that immigrants and refugees are treated with respect. I will not stand idly by while 50 years of social justice are rolled back.”
• “When 2/12/17 arrived, I went to the Moral Monday (HKonJ) March’s 12th anniversary. I was at the front of the line with 100,000 people present. I listened to Reverend Barber give a much longer version of the Heartbeat speech, he gave the history of voting in the South, and he very simply said, “We have a moral duty.” “Those who can stand, must.””
• “I am a Bold Progressive”

These talking points may find harmony with the crowds raving at Rev.William Barber speeches, but they more than dissonant when it comes to North Carolina’s voters as a whole.

As bad as Tillis is at following through on his conservative campaign talk, do we really want a “bold progressive” representing the Old North State in Washington, D.C.? Let’s cross our fingers that a principled conservative steps up to the plate to challenge Tillis in a 2020 Republican primary. His incumbent, establishment status may leave him well armed to hold off a conservative challenger, but Eve Lee does have a point – ‘Those who can stand, must.’