The Daily Haymaker

I-77 tholl spat causes some pro-tholl pols to lose their seats

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Brant Clifton

There was a great lesson for the political ruling class in Mecklenburg County yesterday. Dismiss the people and run roughshod over them AT YOUR OWN POLITICAL PERIL. We have written extensively

#ncga: Need campaign help? Look no further than the Maryland DMV.

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Brant Clifton

He loves his solar panels (and the accompanying government subsidies). He’s got a Democrat lobbyist / campaign consultant working out of the offices of his trucking company. He’ll go for

Pinehurst 2015: The smoke clears. Bouldry, Cashion and Fiorillo left standing.

Posted on November 4, 2015November 4, 2015 by Brant Clifton

It’s over. (Thank God.) It’s been a strange campaign. From our standpoint here at Haymaker HQ, things have been going well in the Village of Pinehurst. This current council

#ncpol: Using an RPG to swat a fly

Posted on November 3, 2015November 3, 2015 by Brant Clifton

Our capital city is all abuzz about the recent expose by McClatchy on our governor, his deep-pocketed buddy, and said buddy’s contract with the state prison system. Granted, it was

In Kinston, It’s ALL relative.

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Brant Clifton

The politicians in this eastern North Carolina town have succeeded in uniting conservative activists AND the NAACP on an issue. And that issue is nepotism in city government: […] There

#ncga: A candidate to keep an eye on in SE NC

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Brant Clifton

State Rep. Rick Catlin (R-Wilmington) is calling it quits. Catlin had a rather moderate reputation in the House. (He scored a gentleman’s C+ in the 2014 Civitas conservative rankings. A

NC-03: Wow. Taylor Griffin IS being bankrolled by Wall Street & K Street.

Posted on November 1, 2015November 1, 2015 by Brant Clifton

We’ve written extensively about this heightened environment of influence-buying in American politics. Over in the Third Congressional District GOP primary, we’ve got a clear example of deep-pocketed influence-peddlers in DC

#ncpol: When the campaign check trumps principles, the platform, and sometimes THE LAW

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Brant Clifton

Well, The N&O has broken open a rather troubling story involving the governor, some of his big donors, and favors they may have received from the state bureaucracy (allegedly thanks

Pinehurst 2015: Ambush!

Posted on October 31, 2015October 31, 2015 by Brant Clifton

Pinehurst voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to fill the mayor’s seat and two council seats. Incumbent mayor Nancy Fiorillo has three challengers trying to replace her. One of

Meet the new boss. Pretty much the same as the old boss. (Not as orange.)

Posted on October 30, 2015October 30, 2015 by Brant Clifton

All of the DC-NY conservative intelligentsia are swooning and cooing over the rise of Paul Ryan to the speakership of the US House. I have never understood the conservative fascination