North Carolina's electoral future may hinge on rural Black voters who feel ignored by Democrats

[Omaha Steve]

https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-black-voters-democrats-cooper-dc73fceb90a803534f563bc4625fe509

By BILL BARROW and MAYA SWEEDLER
Updated 6:09 AM CDT, April 1, 2026

NASHVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Ricky Brinkley has lived in rural North Carolina nearly all of his 65 years, and he likes it “out in the county,” past the street lights and bustle of the small towns that carpet the landscape.

But the former truck driver can feel left out when elections roll around in this battleground state.

“People don’t come out like they should and ask you how you feel about things,” Brinkley said while he manned the counter at his daughter’s beauty supply store down the street from the Nashville courthouse. “You want somebody to vote, but you don’t want to do nothing to get the vote. No, it don’t work that way.”

Brinkley is among the rural Black residents who Democrats have often failed to mobilize as they try to dent Republican advantages here. It’s an urgent demographic puzzle for the party, which is normally strong with Black voters but tends to fall short in rural areas.

FULL story at link above.

[legallyblondeNYC]

1. Another Dems are failing article.

Beware - our adversaries are VERY, VERY good at making Dems seem problematic. We saw this type of article in 2024. Anecdotal BS.

Won't be fooled again.

[sarisataka]

2. Remind me please,

What happened in 2024 when we ignored that anecdotal BS?

[lostincalifornia]

3. In the end, people who refuse to vote actually deserve anything bad that happens to them. This is the same old

nonsense that seems to always come around elections, that there is no "difference between both parties". Sorry, but THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN republicans AND DEMOCRATS, and if they can't understand that simple fact, then then they are a lost cause anyway, especially after two terms of trump and the current republican congress.

[EdmondDantes_]

4. That's a shortsighted argument

Because it also gets us what you think they deserve. If the best argument you can muster is you think they deserve to suffer for not voting for us, you're not giving them an affirmative reason, or a reason to trust us, or a reason to compromise with us when there are inevitably differences on some issues.

[lostincalifornia]

9. I am referring to THOSE WHO DON'T exclusively, not anyone else. There is no remedy for stupidity

I don’t think Democrats are depending on them after 2000, 2016, and 2024. they are useless spoiled losers, because the differences are obvious.

[GusBob]

5. Somebody bring Ricky a pony

Or give him a hug

or something

[mcar]

6. And what have the Republicans done for him? nt

[maxrandb]

7. I gave Superman a kryptonite neckless! Why isn't he stopping the speeding train of racism and fascism?

[kacekwl]

8. But trump and his racist

regime are paying you so much mean. Wake up people.

[Vinca]

10. Wonder how many times Trump stopped in to visit with Ricky.

WTF is wrong with people? You should not expect a door knock from every presidential candidate. I don't think I've ever gotten a door knock from anyone other than volunteers a couple of times. You have to do your own investigating. Staying home is not an option. Voluntary head in the sand is not an option.

[dsc]

11. It should be noted that Harris did go to Greenville

which is actually further east than Rocky Mount. I actually drove up there to see her. I live in a small town in eastern NC which is about 20 miles from Greenville and probably around 30 or so from Rocky Mount.

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

12. The Democratic Party needs a better Southern Strategy than sending candidates here to sing gospel hymns at rallies.

[maxsolomon]

13. I live in a City. Politicians don't "ask you how you feel about things" here, either.

“People don’t come out like they should and ask you how you feel about things,”

“You want somebody to vote, but you don’t want to do nothing to get the vote. No, it don’t work that way.”

Actually, it does work that way. There are >400,000,000 people in every Congressional District. I vote whether or not I get a personal consultation from a candidate. It's my civic duty, Ricky.

[RT Atlanta]

14. And their alternative is what? the party that regularly seeks to strip voting rights?

This is click bait type article