ENTER PHASE TWO

Governor Roy Cooper said North Carolina would enter Phase Two on Friday, but it would be a “modest” Phase Two…

Cooper called Phase Two “safer at home.”

The move allows restaurants, which had been limited to take-out or delivery service, to open at 50% capacity for dine-in customers.

News & Observer

I have a lot of friends who will be happy that Cooper is allowing hair salons to open and while restaurants are open, bars are not. Cooper also kept nightclubs and gyms closed too.

Cooper is being even more cautious than many thought. I’m not sure where this cautiousness is coming from? I’m not sure if its a power thing which would makes sense. The Governor of North Carolina is one of the weakest in the union. Cooper hasn’t gotten a taste of a lot of power and he might not want to give it up. He better be careful though. He is currently enjoying a sky high approval rating but with other states reopening without incident his overly cautious approach could start eroding support. If he was smart he would hand this power over to the individual counties but he may be enjoying the power too much.

GOOD READ: Paul Robinson writes, “Even if the government officials believe they have sound technical reasons for their restrictions, their program may fail unless they convince the general public of this. Even in an emergency, minidictatorships won’t win the day. Success depends on social compliance, which in turn depends on community perception that the law deserves to be obeyed” – WSJ

NCGOP WORRIED ABOUT BURR EFFECT

Sam Brody & Hunter Woodall are reporting that many in the NCGOP are worried about how Senator Richard Burr’s scandal could hurt Senator Thom Tillis in November…

Tillis’ future in the Senate may come down to his ability to walk a tightrope between placating his GOP base and pleasing a growing bloc of North Carolina swing voters. It’s a balancing act that he’s faced for years, but the Burr drama now boils it down to its essence: while Tillis has to be careful not to close ranks behind Burr so as to not alienate voters who have soured on him, he risks alienating conservatives if he goes after Burr too aggressively. 

The Daily Beast

The Daily Beast got a few quotes from leaders in the NCGOP like the Chairman of the Iredell County Republican party

“It don’t matter which party you are, but anytime somebody is being under investigation it is going to fallout with everybody that they’re associated with,” said Ron Wyatt, the chairman of the Iredell County Republican Party. “We’ve got two senators in North Carolina, so if one is being investigated, rightfully or wrongfully, then it is absolutely going to draw extra criticism and scrutiny on that other person that’s in the same party, running for the equal position.” 

Brody & Woodall also report, what many of us in North Carolina already know, that Tillis was already on shaky ground with Trumpkins in North Carolina for not being sufficiently Trumpy enough. There is no doubt that the small tightrope Tillis has to walk has gotten smaller. But it is not as small as some think. Burr has never been a Trump guy. Sure, Burr had to play the game in 2016 but very few Trump supporters saw Burr as a true ally. Things have only gotten worse as Burr’s intel committee has confirmed Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election. Therefore, Tillis can comfortably call out Burr, if he needs too, without angering the Trump GOP base. Tillis also won’t lose the establishment Republicans or swing voters who have soured on Burr because of this scandal.

2020 is undoubtedly going to be a tough year for Republicans all over the country, but especially in North Carolina. Tillis is one of the most vulnerable GOP incumbents and will face one of the toughest races in the country. Trump’s popularity, the economy, and/or a possible blue wave are all going to decide Tillis’ fate. Good or bad, Tillis prospects in November have very little to do with Richard Burr.