Is the old-fashioned stump speech making a comeback?
The Winston-Salem Journal notes that Republican gubernatorial candidate Fred Smith's 100-county barbecue tour is something of a throwback in the age of mass media.
But it could be a way of reaching out when YouTube, cable TV and the Internet have fractured audiences, argue some political observers.
Several decades ago, "you could go on three broadcast stations and reach everybody in the media market," said Mark Stephens, a political consultant in Raleigh who is not working for any of the candidates running for governor this year. "Now, you’re also seeing a move back to grass-roots campaigning, because even with the larger campaign budgets, you’re still not reaching everybody."
Smith and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory have aired ads as well. Salisbury attorney Bill Graham plans to advertise before the primary, while former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr says he doesn't have the money.
