From the Charlotte Observer’s very own Taylor Batten:
Charlotte must be a pretty purple city. Democrat Jennifer Roberts narrowly beat Republican Edwin Peacock in Charlotte’s mayor’s race Tuesday, 52 percent to 48 percent. It doesn’t get much closer than that, suggesting the city is closely divided between the two parties.
I have no idea what Batten is talking about. “Purple” in politics suggests that either side has a real and consistent chance of winning. That hasn’t been the case in Charlotte since 2009. How many Republicans have won at large in Charlotte in the last three elections? Exactly zero. How many Democrats are on Charlotte City Council? Nine plus a Democratic mayor. How many Republicans? Two. No, Charlotte is very much a blue city now, though with some red suburbs.
