One last look at this race and maybe — just like an Afterschool Special — a lesson. That lesson is pick a theme and stick to it.
The Dulin campaign was all over the map thematically. The campaign tied Dulin closely to Pat McCrory — even defending McCrory against imagined attacks — yet failed to mention let alone emphasize Dulin’s own service on the Charlotte city council. I’ve been doing this politics thing for fun and a little profit for almost 20 years and I do not recall another candidate doing a such a thing with regard to the post they occupy.
But then the campaign took another u-turn to declare that Bob Rucho was “attacking” Uptown and Dulin was its defender. Well then, why not talk about city council? Weird.
A candidate — any candidate — has to choose between the insider or outsider meme, firing in all directions at once just spends your bullets and confuses voters. Some of whom you might shoot by mistake.
Bonus Observation: Take one more look at the Uptown paper of record’s endorsement of Dulin before it disappears forever. The upshot, Dulin was “flexible” — and wound up tying himself in knots.
