So since the actual subject of the thread is Cawthorn, and his decision to switch districts following the redistricting map created by the GOP controlled NC Legislature, it will be interesting to watch further developments in light of last night's finding by the NC SC that the plan was unconstitutional. The battle within the Court turned extremely acrimonious, with the dissenting GOP accusing the majority of "acting politically"...
Now that seems a pretty strange accusation, considering the GOP plan would have reshaped the political landscape to the extent that what is currently an 8-5 GOP Congressional delegation would likely become 10-4 or 11-3. Which would be fine if we were discussing Alabama or Mississippi, but would seem to be an outlier with regards to accurately representing the partisan divide in a state with a Dem Governor and Dem majority elected to the SC, and a Legislature which has basically used previous gerrymandering to create fiefdoms who don't feel they are responsible to the state as a whole...
The Charlotte Observer characterized the GOP dissent, led by Chief Justice Newby as an embarrassment, that amounted to a "judicial tantrum".
"The legal basis for Newby’s dissent is ludicrous in itself. Newby argues that since electoral maps are drawn by members of the General Assembly, who are chosen by voters, any judicial intervention in the redistricting process usurps the will of the people. a
That’s head-scratching argument when the primary issue is that the maps drawn by Republicans all but guarantee that the legislature does not, in fact, represent the will of the people."
Chief Justice Paul Newby accused the court’s majority of “seizing the opportunity to advance its agenda.” | Editorial
www.yahoo.com
So I imagine this is a long way from playing out, and it's interesting to note that the question of whether Cawthorn is by law eligible to again run for office could end up in the SC as well. It doesn't look like he'll be able to just choose which cherrypicked district he wants to run in either, since it would appear the newly drawn 13th district he preferred no longer exists.
And after yesterday's Pence speech I feel like the implications for the upcoming GOP Senate Primary are pretty huge as well. Trump has endorsed and is all in on Ted Budd, but I could easily see the Primary becoming a possible early battle between Budd representing the pro-Big Lie Trump faction (which Cawthorn is heavily involved in) and McCrory possibly heading up the Pence team. Should be fun...