Daniel Rios

Advocating for the working class, one day at a time.

[Daniel Rios @DanielRiosNC]

In order for union members to support Democrats in large numbers again, we must support our own workers and their union first!

Unions built this country and gave us many freedoms and rights. It would be a shame for the party of worker's rights to lose the working class.

[DNC Staff Union @dncstaffunion]

One day��s notice, no severance—the DNC fights for workers, just not their own.

Full statement below:

[Troy Jackson @TroyJackson207]

Susan Collins turned her back on Mainers a long time ago. Together, we can defeat her.

Get involved at https://t.co/awhC84Qre5.

[Governor Josh Stein @NC_Governor]

This budget:  

✅Delivers the largest teacher pay raise in 15 years; the largest starting teacher pay raise in nearly 50 years 
✅Fully funds Medicaid for this year 
✅Provides meaningful, double digit percentage salary increases and bonuses to public safety officers  
✅Reaffirms our commitment to western NC  
✅Eliminates tax exemptions for data centers’ electricity use 
✅Makes meaningful investments in community colleges, the DMV, child care, cybersecurity, a new veterans home, clean drinking water, and summer food programs

[Senate Majority PAC @MajorityPAC]

Southern Dems >>>>>

[Carolina Forward @ForwardCarolina]

Larry Pittman, the North Carolina Republican former State House Representative who now serves on the Cabarrus County Commission, is a nasty old gutter racist, and would happily tell you the same himself.

Shout out to @hometown_holler for catching this video!

[Carolina Hurricanes @Canes]

This one’s for you, North Carolina

[Carolina Hurricanes @Canes]

THE #CANES WIN THE CUP 

THE #CANES WIN THE CUP 
THE #CANES WIN THE CUP 
THE #CANES WIN THE CUP 
THE #CANES WIN THE CUP 
THE #CANES WIN THE CUP

[Roy Cooper @RoyCooperNC]

I’m Roy Cooper, and I’m running for the Senate to make life easier.

[Daniel Rios @DanielRiosNC]

@harveyjkaye 🫡

[Polling USA @USA_Polling]

oh my god can you people do fucking anything right

[Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTom]

He manages to make every occasion, no matter how potentially uplifting, into a cringe-inducing moment

[Daniel Rios @DanielRiosNC]

@JustElexMaps @OregonMapGuy Part of me wants to believe you have all election results this century memorized

[Jon Favreau @jonfavs]

One day, Donald Trump will die, and his supporters will try to punish the people who say things like this.

[VoteHub @VoteHub]

WinCast: Stratton is now favored.

[2001 Live @25YearsAgoLive]

The twelfth of the new 50 State Quarters, North Carolina, is released.

[BeshearStan @BeshearStan]

Roy Cooper is an such an electoral god he summons controversies on all of his opponents

[Carolina Forward @ForwardCarolina]

Last week, Senate Leader @SenatorBerger almost certainly lost the Senate District 26 Republican primary election to @SheriffPage.

On election night, Page was up/Berger was down by 2 votes. As of yesterday, after counting all provisional ballots, Page has officially widened his lead to 23 votes. There are still a tiny handful (low single-digits) of overseas/military ballots to count. Under state law, those must be counted by Thursday, March 12th.

And after that… Sam Page has won.

Berger’s team could try contesting the election in court - in which case, they’ll have to argue which Republican primary voters just... shouldn’t count. It’s an ugly way to try to salvage a win. It didn’t work for Jefferson Griffin last year, either.

So Berger is probably toast.

This is a watershed moment North Carolina politics. Here’s what happens next.

BACKGROUND:
Phil Berger has been in the North Carolina legislature for 25 years straight, 15 of those as the Republican Senate leader. That makes him the single longest-serving State Senate leader in the entire country.

Berger has spent his time in office consolidating enormous personal power and wealth for himself and his family which radiates far beyond the North Carolina Senate. He is the quintessential insider southern political boss: all legislation, every budget, every state appointment, every election map is first approved by (or, better yet, originates in) his office.

The Citizens United case, which effectively allowed unlimited corporate money into elections, happened just before Berger came to power (2010). Berger used that new campaign finance landscape to create a geyser of almost unlimited national corporate cash that he, personally, controls. He has used that money to make plenty of political careers - and destroy others.

Berger even spun out some of his underlings to start their own campaign consultancy in Raleigh called @MartinandBlaine. Effectively Berger’s extension office, they now control the TV ad buys, the direct mail, and the flow of cash for every major Republican legislative candidate, while taking a nice cut for themselves. (It’s good work, if you can get it.)

Berger has held the Republican caucus of the North Carolina Senate in an ironclad grip for 15 years straight. And now, all of that is about to end.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:
Phil Berger has said that no matter the outcome, he intends to stay in office through the end of his term (2026). That’s going to create a pretty unstable Republican caucus. The corporate donors no longer have any reason to keep funding him. And absolutely no one follows Phil Berger out of love.

Immediately, @SenBillRabon from Brunswick county is extremely likely to retire. He’s been Berger’s right-hand for a long time, and there’s no future in the caucus for him without Berger. Other retirements are possible.

There are several Republican factions who would like to succeed Berger as leader. @LeeForNC is seen as one of the likeliest candidates. But @RalphHise, Dave Craven, Brad Overcash and Buck Newton are also highly ambitious. With no clear leader, there will be a fight for control.

Just as importantly, who do the corporate donors back? @DukeEnergy, the @NCChamber and their national allies are the biggest sources of Republican campaign cash. Do they splinter?

What does this mean for elections? Last fall, Senator @amyscottgaley poured her heart out to Sam Page in a letter begging him not to run, insisting that without Berger’s corporate dollars, Republicans would raise less money and lose their Senate supermajority. Could be true - we’ll see.

Legislatively, a lame-duck Berger leadership obviously gives the House leverage. There is absolutely no reason to cut deals with Berger if he’s gone in a few months. @ncspeakerhall took a hard line negotiating with Berger last year, and that appears to have paid off.

Of course, who knows if they’ll get a better deal next year…

[Maj. (Ret.) Richard Ojeda @Ojeda4America]

NC-09 sent a message loud and clear tonight. They wanted a fighter, and they got one.

Richard Hudson will try to make this race about party politics. But truth is: it’s about the billionaire class vs. the rest of us.

The clock is ticking @RepRichHudson. ⏰

[Dan Pfeiffer @danpfeiffer]

Worth noting that if the MOST VULNERABLE Senate Democrat is talking like this, the rest of the party shouldn't be so risk-averse.

[Daniel Rios @DanielRiosNC]

@AceTrader @orangie Who gives a fuck

[NWS Raleigh @NWSRaleigh]

⚠️ WINTER STORM WARNING in effect for ALL of Central NC!

❄️ Totals: 3-7" expected (localized 10"+ possible). ⏰ When: Tonight through midday Sunday. 🛑 Impact: Travel could become impossible Saturday into Sunday. #NCwx