Liberals Seizing Control of State Senate

According to the News & Observer, liberals in the North Carolina Senate are making a power play in the wake of Majority Leader Tony Rand’s announcement of his resignation this week.  No matter the outcome, the balance of power in the Senate is sure to see a shift.

Such a shift, though, could have implications beyond who gets the best seats in the Senate chamber.

The majority controls what legislation even comes to a vote, much less passes. And those decisions, while made as a party caucus, are largely directed from the top leadership posts. The new majority leader’s personality and politics will help shape those choices.

The two candidates identified Thursday by several Democratic senators – Sens. Martin Nesbitt of Asheville and Dan Clodfelter of Charlotte – are viewed as part of the more liberal side of the Democratic caucus. That wing of the party this year pushed through more liberal pieces of legislation, such as specifically protecting gay students from bullying and expanding sex education.

Greater ideological diversity in the leadership and a diffusion of power could strengthen the Democratic caucus but also could generate greater debates. The prospect of Democratic infighting has Republicans grinning after watching in past years as splintered groups of Democrats in the House tried to form a coalition with Republicans, and in one instance succeeded.

“It could go so many different directions,” said Sen. Tom Apodaca, a Hendersonville Republican who has not announced whether he is running for re-election. “It has piqued my interest in returning.”

Neither Nesbitt nor Clodfelter returned calls Thursday.

Rand and President Pro Tem Marc Basnight formed the nucleus of the Senate leadership for nearly a decade, often a good cop/bad cop structure with Rand playing the bad cop. Both worked as business-oriented Democrats pushing to lower the corporate tax rate and use incentives to lure new companies to the state. Both backed the lottery when it passed in 2005.

With either Nesbitt or Clodfelter, the politics of the majority leader are bound to veer left from Rand.

“The makeup of the Senate today is a lot different than it was in 1999,” said Sen. David Hoyle, a Gaston County Democrat and part of Basnight’s leadership team. “It’s a lot more leaning toward the liberal element of the party.” …

Click here for the full article from the News & Observer…

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