Why I’m Worried about North Carolina (but not Georgia)

My reason for worry about North Carolina is simple:

1. It went for Obama in 2008 by a .33% margin.

2. Romney only won it by a 2.04% margin.

3. This is the most concerning: the number of Democratic primary votes in 2016 was over 99% of that of Republican primary votes. Primary turnout was high, being more than 50% of the 2012 general election vote on each side.

The fifth column here is Cruz-and-Sanders-voting Asheville, Buncombe county, growing at the relatively speedy rate of 12% per decade, and the even more threatening Charlotte, Mecklenburg county, growing at the even speedier rate of 24% per decade, as well as Raleigh, Wake county, growing at 26% per decade. Both are attracting a massive amount of Democratic voters to the state, making it a swing state in this election year. It is Trump’s soft underbelly.

As for Georgia, it’s safe Republican. Same population, but very different skew in the primary vote -more Republican votes and far fewer Democratic.

Sunday Assorted Links

1. Some Black politicians are really stupid. Not an April Fools’.

2. Decomposition

3. Why some Brazilians want to go back to military dictatorship (might it be due to the fact the 1970s had the highest RGDP growth in peacetime Brazilian history?). Also, didn’t know Roussef was a Communist guerilla or tortured.

4. Manafort on Face the Nation

5. Police can’t ask for your passcode, but can force you to unlock your phone with TouchID

6. Ideas didn’t build America. People with ideas built America.

7. Gallup’s Key Indicators: Trump +20, Kasich +19, Cruz -2 among Republicans, Hillary +46, Sanders +53 among Dems. Cruz’s unlikeability is getting to him.

8. The California Senate Debate, starring Ron Unz. Everyone knows a Democratic woman’s gonna win, but this time, she’ll be Gentile.