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State legislature shifting to the left?

"Urban lawyers with unquestionable liberal credentials" are taking over leadership positions in the state legislature, political analyst John Davis says.

(Tip to Jack Betts)

The latest indication is the announcement by business-friendly Democratic Sen. David Hoyle that he won't seek re-election. Davis thinks his departure and the selection of liberal Martin Nesbitt as the next Senate majority leader, replacing Tony Rand, signals the end of a pro-business atmosphere in the legislature (the House has been following a more leftward track for years).

Who are the liberal lawyers running things these days? Davis writes:

"They include three very smart lawyers who were elected to the House for the first time nearly three decades ago: Senators Nesbitt and Dan Blue (D-Wake), and House Speaker Joe Hackney (D-Orange), along with fellow attorney and elder statesman Rep. Mickey Michaux (D-Durham), and new rising stars with law degrees like Rep. Jennifer Weiss (D-Wake), Rep. Deborah Ross (D-Wake), and Sen. Dan Clodfelter (D-Mecklenburg). Thus, the new demographic profile of emerging leaders in the North Carolina legislature is liberal urban lawyers."

Notice no mention of any Triad legislators, although Greensboro Rep. Pricey Harrison certainly fits into the category of smart urban lawyer. She's also an up-and-comer, but I'd expect her to run for a bigger office before long.

The question is how far to the left North Carolina voters want state government to go. Because of rigged districts, there aren't many real opportunities to change the state legislature, but with the lousy economy here, high unemployment, huge incentives deals gone south (Dell), budget woes and Democratic ethics problems, at some point voters just might decide to make wholesale changes.

Unless the Dems can hold the fort with, "Don't worry, we've put our smartest lawyers in charge."

Republicans could make hay on that ... except: The top GOP leaders in the House and Senate, Paul Stam and Phil Berger, are also smart lawyers.

But not liberals.

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Posted by Doug Clark on Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 2:06 pm

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Get A Clue

December 11, 2009 - 7:37 am EST

It's your blog, and I wouldn't want to read a blog or an editorial that was apolitical. That would be boring. But might I suggest you try a little harder to be less overtly prejudiced to "liberals," let along lawyers. Just a thought.

Doug

December 11, 2009 - 11:12 am EST

Domination of a legislative body by members of any one profession is not ideal, in my opinion.

Nor do I think most North Carolinians would be pleased by a legislature tilting too far to the left or the right.

The Senate, although controlled by Democrats, has been more conservative and therefore at times a helpful moderating influence on the more liberal House. If that's changing -- and the view presented here was that of John Davis -- it may be cause for concern.

Get A Clue

December 11, 2009 - 9:00 pm EST

And let's not forget John Davis is a paid political 'consultant,' which doesn't infer upon him any special powers save the viewpoints he already favors and those favored by those who pay him. (Please, I wasn't born yesterday.) I visited his website, did some reading, and it's obvious he has a stated political preference. As do you, as do I. No need to pretend otherwise. like I said, it's your blog.