In December, we recommended Brunswick County Democrats “zoom out” for a while. We thought it advisable to let the dust from the November elections settle. We needed some time to collect our wits and enjoy the holiday season.
But the holidays are over, and the new year is upon us. It’s time to take up our banners once again and fly them high over an altered yet all too familiar landscape. We are about to witness — peacefully, this time — a change in command at the national level. MAGA Republicans continue to control the General Assembly in Raleigh, and the status quo remains, sadly, static in Brunswick County. So all is not well in our world.
But we’re encouraged by the progress we’ve made in Brunswick County and at the state level. Brunswick County Democrats played an important role in carrying Governor-elect Josh Stein to victory on November 5. The General Assembly is no longer veto-proof. And the powerful, 10-member Council of State, the collective body of elected executives established by the state constitution, now has five Democratic members.
All the more reason, then, to apply the lessons we have learned to turning the tables in upcoming elections. We have a lot to fight for — and a lot to protest loudly about. As John Lewis, the late congressman and civil rights leader said, it’s time to make good trouble.
We deserve government at all levels that works for the well-being of all its constituents — not the special interests who throw money in the path of our elected officials to buy their votes. It’s on us to show we’re united in our effort to free democracy at all levels from the bonds of deep-pocketed special interests. It’s on us to serve as public watchdogs and alert members of the public when we believe they’re not being well served by elected representatives. And it’s on us to grow democracy at the grass roots level by recruiting viable candidates and running principled campaigns.
We know there are issues that bring Brunswick County citizens together, regardless of political affiliation. Quality of life is not a partisan issue. A desire for controlled development, clean water, access to health care and preservation of our county as a major tourist attraction are not exclusive to the rank and file of one political party.
Fortunately, there is a lot BCDP can do to build unity in Brunswick County. As we begin a new campaign cycle, we’ll continue being a central player in forming a coalition of interests with a common goal of improving the lives of Brunswick County residents. Here's what the Brunswick County Democratic Party will do to reach that goal:
We’ll redouble our efforts to recruit and actively support candidates who if elected will represent their constituents, not the special interests.
We’ll continue attracting individuals to our side by illustrating that the Democratic Party is the only party truly concerned about the welfare of all county residents.
We’ll continue reaching out to groups that share our beliefs.
We’ll raise money to help our candidates finance their campaigns and underwrite our own communications strategy.
We’ll call on unaffiliated voters who “lean Democratic” to join us as active participants in the political process.
How will we do all that? It begins and ends with the active support of our dedicated volunteers, whose help in 2024 the BCDP leadership deeply appreciates and without whom we cannot succeed. We hope to sustain the level of volunteer support we experienced in the 2024 campaign. We’re counting on each of you to participate in the process leading up to the municipal elections this year and the mid-term national elections in 2026.
It's time to “zoom in.”
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