Promoting candidates statewide

Gordon Smith sees BlueNC as a place for progressive Democratic candidates to find their audience.

A child and family therapist in Asheville, Smith writes about local and national politics on Scrutiny Hooligans, a group blog in Western Carolina.

But given the statewide interest in the 2006 campaign between Heath Shuler and then U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor, he started posting on BlueNC as well, under the screen name "Screwy Hoolie."

Smith, 37, says those posts helped draw attention to Shuler, indirectly helping him raise money in parts of the state where he was not well-known.

He sees BlueNC performing a similar role in the lieutenant governor's race right now, with recent live-blogs and regular posts bringing a spotlight to a race that often gets overlooked.

"I think the people that get noticed there are the ones that reach out," he said.