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Tip O’Neill, the 47th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, is the person most often credited with using the phrase “all politics is local.” We don’t hear that phrase as often as we did a couple of decades ago. However, keep that thought in mind as I express a few opinions about some of today’s politicians and their politics.
I do not believe today’s politics, especially national Democratic politics, are local to the majority of Duplin County citizens. I know that an overwhelming majority of Duplin County registered Republicans and unaffiliated voters do not agree with the national leaders of the Democratic Party. I am acquainted with many local folks still registered as Democrats, and my experience, gained over many years, tells me they do not support the current policies or politics of the radical left wing of the Democrat Party.
Additionally, I am very well acquainted with all the elected Democrats on the Duplin County Board of Commissioners and on the Duplin County Board of Education. I consider them to be good friends and I am truly thankful for their service to our County. I do not think they believe or support the radical left-wing policies of the National leaders of the Democrat Party.
Consider the following issues I consider to be radical and ultra-left-wing. I believe they are out of line with the vast majority of Duplin County citizens, regardless of how they are registered.
Wide open borders, legalized marijuana, de-funding the police, biological men in women’s sports, benefits for illegal immigrants, illegal immigrants voting, changing gender, late term abortion, no cash bail, attacking ICE officers, Judicial Tyranny, same sex marriage, destroying property during riots, Obama Care/ACA, DEI in higher education, vulgar language, sympathy for ANTIFA, free give-a-ways, anti-Israel, support for Hamas, over funding NGO’s, unabashed law fare against political opponents, Drag queen shows in schools, inappropriate age level sex education, excessive mail-in voting, excessive early voting days, and finally the rampant Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Consider these federal and state-level Democrat politicians that I consider far-left radicals with extreme secular progressive ideas who want to “fundamentally change America.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, Greg Casar, Summer Lee, Delia Ramirez, Jamaal Bowman, Nancy Pelosi, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, J.B. Pritzer, Gavin Newsom, Zohran Mamdani, Letitia James, Jack Smith, and Fani Willis.
Now consider these state-level Democrat politicians who parrot or look the other way to the politics and ideology of those listed above: Josh Stein, Jeff Jackson, and former Governor Roy Cooper. Remember, “Birds of a feather flock together.” You will not hear them criticize or challenge the politics of the radical left because they need and want their support.
There are, of course, other issues and other secular progressives, but these two lists are fairly convincing that this ain’t granddaddy’s Democrat Party anymore. The politics of those listed above certainly isn’t local for Duplin County. Additionally, Jena Wadsworth and Sarah Taber, who challenged Steve Troxler in 2020 and 2024, respectively, were far from granddaddy’s typical farmers. But each one of them got more than 90% of the Duplin County Democrat votes, even though Steve Troxler is the most popular and respected politician in North Carolina.
That being said, I ask this question: why do county-level Democrats still block votes for radical left-wing candidates like Jena Wadsworth, Sarah Taber, Josh Stein, Jeff Jackson and former Governor Roy Cooper, who bow the knee to such radical left-wing Democrats as listed above?
My answer is, “Follow the money.”
Thus, I believe, the voting mantra of county-level Democrats across North Carolina is to forget local politics and local ideological values and vote for the state and federal candidates who raise the money and who “the Democrat Party Machine” supports. Please remember this in November of 2026.
We, the people, should remember that “if you associate with or vote for bad company, you will likely acquire their negative traits.”
Rep. Jimmy Dixon represents Duplin and Wayne counties in the N.C. House of Representatives.
