Sen. Tony Rand hasn't run through a detailed explanation of why he's quitting the Senate.
Rand leads the Democratic majority in the Senate and Senate Republican leader Phil Berger wonders if the Senate is getting too liberal for Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat. Dome's Mark Johnson reports that Rand's departure follows the growth of a liberal wing among Senate Democrats.
A leftward shift in the Democratic caucus that controls the Senate made his role as majority leader more difficult. A growing coalition of more liberal Democrats in the Senate helped push through laws this year that allow more comprehensive sex education, specifically protect gay students from bullying and allow death penalty challenges based on race.
"Sen. Rand increasingly found his views at odds with his more liberal Democratic colleagues, and that may have led to this decision," said Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger of Eden.
This explanation is helpful to Senate Republicans, who are eager to paint the Democratic majority as way out left and out of touch with state residents in advance of the coming legislative elections next year.
Dome can see the campaign ad now: "The Senate: Too liberal for Tony Rand."
Comments
Left
November 5, 2009 - 2:40pm — James_ProtzmanThe only thing I can think of that's "left" about the aforementioned officials is the fact that they are mostly "left out" of progressive politics - by their own choosing.
Re: Senate Dems too liberal?
November 5, 2009 - 2:24pm — Isaac136I'm still waiting to see some sign that these folks are even fairly described as "leftist." I guess what passes for "left" in North Carolina is what some might call an inch right of center in true-"blue" states.
Re: Senate Dems too liberal?
November 5, 2009 - 2:12pm — cmitchzSo at what point does a leftist finally become a "radical" to you, Isaac? When they're cutting the ribbon at the gulag?
Re: Senate Dems too liberal?
November 5, 2009 - 12:34pm — Isaac136Wow. Those folks Nesbitt, Graham, Berger, Stein and Boseman are radical progressives? Oh, wait, I get it -- that was a sarcastic joke. Ok. Very amusing, PoliticalJunkie. You're either joking or you've yet to look up the words "radical" or "progressive" and learn how to use them properly in a sentence. Clue: There are *no* radical progressives in the North Carolina House or Senate.
And Jerimee, don't be silly. Niolet isn't writing GOP talking points. For all you know Niolet is a "radical progressive."
Agreed wholeheartedly
November 5, 2009 - 11:20am — James_ProtzmanMr. Johnson got sucking into the Brock-Berger-Fetzer-Not-Gay-Waker Spin Machine on this one. Such nonsense.
Senate Dems too liberal?
November 5, 2009 - 11:13am — PoliticalJunkieJerimeeee, you should be happy because the short answer is: Yes.
Unless you realize that the only way for Leftwing Democrats to advance the Socialist Agenda of the left in North Carolina is by lying to the voters and pretending they are "conservative" while running for election.
I believe in a profile last year Lynn Bonner wrote about how Rand had gone from being one of the most liberal too one of the most conservative members of his caucus. His politics didn't change but as the conservatives like Ed Warren, Steve Metcalf, Fountain Odom and Pryor Gibson left the Senate they were replaced by people like Doug Berger, Josh Stien, Julia Boseman, Martin Nesbitt and Malcolm Graham. That is sea change. Moderate Centrists being replaced by radical progressives. One group is inline with the majority of the State's thinking the other isn't.
Of course Rand has only his gerrymandering to blame for this result.
campaign ad
November 5, 2009 - 11:02am — jerimeeWhy would the NCGOP need to waste money on campaign ads when Niolet will advance their talking points for them?
Re: Senate Dems too liberal?
November 5, 2009 - 10:19am — Isaac136Well geez, sounds like good news to me. But I'm wondering whether Rand might not feel that sitting pretty at the head of the parole board isn't more appealing than trying to deal with the likely aftermath of the Easley scandals that Perdue has inherited and that the rest of the Democrats are going to be saddled with fighting in the next election cycle. Fundraising won't be nearly as much "fun" with what I hope will be increased scrutiny.