Democrats like me should have a choice in 2024. Run, Roy, run. | Opinion

Run, Roy, run

Over half of voters in my party, the Democratic Party, don’t want Joe Biden to run in 2024. Yet, it seems inevitable.

In the latest head to head polling, Biden trails Donald Trump by 2.4%. Biden’s current 41% approval rating is a low only matched by President Jimmy Carter, who lost his election.

Biden is a seasoned and capable politician, but he’s 80.

Democrats could have many strong candidates, but we need look no further than Gov. Roy Cooper to find such a candidate — a candidate who in 2020 handily won a state that voted for Donald Trump.

Democrats should have a choice of candidates. I will campaign for Joe Biden if he is the candidate, but I think we can do better. Run, Roy, run.

Jack Wolf, Hillsborough

Shaw rezoning

Regarding “Raleigh city leaders vote to rezone Shaw University’s campus for taller buildings,” (June 21):

The Raleigh City Council’s decision to rezone Shaw University’s properties was a massive disappointment for Black, brown, Muslim, and working-class community members.

Opposition to rezoning brought together a diverse coalition, ranging from Shaw students and alums who want to maintain the historic character of their campus, Muslim community members who want to save a mosque on the campus, and Raleigh community members who are opposed to gentrification in downtown Raleigh neighborhoods. Opponents of rezoning organized multiple protests against it and expressed their opposition to it during City Council meetings.

After the divided vote favoring the rezoning, coalition members will redouble grassroots organizing against policies and elected officials who value development over people.

Manzoor Cheema, Raleigh

NC elections

After reading Sen. Paul Newton’s “These 2 bills will restore confidence in NC elections,” (June 19 Opinion), I was reminded of the audacity of the man accused of murdering his parents who asked the judge for mercy because he was an orphan.

Daphne Lyon, Morehead City

Gerrymandering

In April, the League of Women Voters of North Carolina said: “This shameful decision (by the N.C. Supreme Court) means that politicians in North Carolina now have the ultimate power to choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives.”

The solution is the Fair Maps Act, which calls for a redistricting commission to draw fair voting districts that reflect our state, protect communities, and put people above politics.

Kevin Siers got it right in his June 20 editorial cartoon — North Carolina Speaker Tim Moore, Senate leader Phil Berger and the NC GOP are killing democracy. Citizens must demand fair maps and save North Carolina’s democracy.

John White, Raleigh

Mandy Cohen

Regarding “Biden picks Mandy Cohen, the architect of NC’s COVID-19 response, as CDC director,” (June 16):

It is ironic that Sen. Ted Budd and U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, who have no scientific credentials, are accusing Dr. Mandy Cohen, who has impeccable scientific credentials and is not a politician, of politicizing science.

When it comes to protecting our public health, I want someone in charge who is capable of weighing the scientific evidence and has the courage to make tough decisions — not someone who is weighing how many votes they might gain or lose based on whatever position they take.

MaryJane Selgrade, Apex

Voter fraud

Recent legislative efforts in North Carolina and other states have used election fraud as a rationale for increasing the difficulty of voting. I have voted for approximately 65 years and only recently have heard concerns raised about voter fraud.

In fact, voter fraud only became a national issue when Donald Trump complained about the possibility of fraud if he lost in 2016, and after the election used fraud as an excuse for his loss to Hillary Clinton in the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. Since then, voter fraud has been a regular complaint from the GOP across the country.

The consensus among election experts, including Trump’s in 2020, is that voting is incredibly safe and fair in the U.S.

Until more factual evidence of fraud is presented to justify making it harder for many people to vote, one has to assume this is purely a tactic to disenfranchise voters in the name of nonexistent fraud and it should be declared unconstitutional in all courts.

Larry Wolf, Garner

Pipeline into NC

The writer is Southeast Region Director of the American Petroleum Institute.

Regarding “A disputed gas pipeline into NC appeared blocked, but now maybe not” (June 13):

The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) has the potential to supply the Mid-Atlantic region with affordable, reliable energy.

North Carolina is growing at a rapid pace and needs to increase its energy supply to support future economic development. MVP Southgate will help ensure the Tar Heel state has a diverse and reliable energy mix for generations to come. It’s also essential to integrate additional renewable energy onto the grid, as the recent N.C. Utilities Commission Carbon Plan requires.

Government and business leaders need to work together to get MVP over the finish line and secure our state’s energy future.

David McGowan, Raleigh

This story was originally published June 25, 2023 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Democrats like me should have a choice in 2024. Run, Roy, run. | Opinion."