The final leg: Beware, political parties know how important N.C. is this year

It is coming down to the wire -- and once again voters are being bombarded with everything from television ads to robocalls.

And there is a reason: Both parties are very, very interested in how North Carolinians will vote two weeks from Tuesday.

The reason is that the control of the U.S. Senate is up for grabs -- and some think the North Carolina race between Republican Thom Tillis and Democrat Kay Hagan is a bellwether for that result.

 So, all of a sudden, there are a whole bunch of people who are very, very interested in not only how North Carolina will swing, but specifically, how Wayne County will vote.

Funny how that works, huh?

So, of course, you will hear all kinds of revisionist history from both sides -- and non-answers as well. Nobody really wants to talk about issues or strategy. It is time for the point-fingers-and-run strategy -- on both sides.

The name of this game is to say as little as possible, only allow enough time for softball questions and then scoot out of town before someone asks something you do not want to hear or to answer.

And by the way, all these ads you are seeing now, from Democrats and Republicans, are all being paid for by outside money. Make no mistake, the funds have been dispatched to North Carolina -- from both sides.

We know whom we think is best for North Carolina, but in the end, each voter will have to weigh the pros and cons and make the decision for him or herself.

So, as voters, we have to be very, very careful.

We have to use our horse sense and wade through fact vs. fiction, hyperbole vs. reality, real vision vs. empty promises.

We have to think about the past and keep an eye on the future.

And it is not going to be easy -- there are pluses and minuses on both sides of this race.

But in the end, what matters is your vision for the future of North Carolina and the country and whom you think will get us there.

There is only one really important piece of advice -- get out and vote. Do not stay home. Not this year.

Published in Editorials on October 22, 2014 12:30 PM