Key takeaways from the election in North Carolina and how COS volunteers flexed political muscle

The election in North Carolina, as in other states, was much more than who won the presidency. All politics are local, as the saying goes. Especially for supporters of Convention of States. 

The presidential election was primarily about style rather than substance. But more importantly, it represents the latest battle in a long-running war between two entirely different worldviews. 

The conservative worldview, more closely aligned with our founding era, believes in the Constitution and the rule of law. Our rights come from God, and government is constituted to protect those rights. Our constitution and founding documents are based on unchanging basic principles. 

It believes that giving the federal government more power and control leads to an erosion of rights and out of control spending. It believes in equality of opportunity and taking personal responsibility for our lives. 

The progressive worldview believes there are no absolute moral truths. That government is god, and our rights flow from government. In this view, we need government to validate us as human beings. It is about emotions and feelings. 

This worldview is happy to acquiesce to government control of all aspects of life and saddling our kids with debt. It is focused on equality of results, essentially a Marxist philosophy. 

This war has been ongoing for decades. But becoming more animated on both sides. It is a war of attrition, in military parlance. Whichever side can marshal more resources and last longer will win. It is a war for the soul of this country. 

The results of the presidential election, no matter who ultimately prevails, proves once again that this country is split right down the middle. That is certainly one takeaway from this election. 

Short of true civil war, the Founders gave us the solution: our constitution. If we would just use it. That is the essence of the Convention of States Project--to provide a peaceful means to resolve the tension between these two worldviews. 

A second key takeaway from the election here in North Carolina was a repudiation of the progressive worldview. Other than the governor’s race, conservatives won key judicial races. Thom Tillis was re-elected to the U.S. Senate. 

A dynamic conservative candidate won the Lt. Governor’s race. He spoke passionately of personal responsibility and is an unapologetic Christian. He rejected the accusations of institutional racism, believes in upholding the rule of law, and supports law enforcement. 

He also happens to be the first black American elected as Lt. Governor in North Carolina. 

The conservative worldview won in the North Carolina House and Senate. In the house, four conservative Republicans unseated Democrats to extend the Republican majority. 

Very significantly for the COS team in North Carolina, we were able to support and campaign for candidates who support COS in this election cycle. 

Dozens of volunteers made nearly 5,000 phone calls and canvassed neighborhoods for 10 key house and senate races. Campaign literature was handed out at various polling locations on election day. About 14,000 emails and texts were sent to our supporters in those districts, encouraging them to support those candidates. 

Other volunteers helped individually with specific conservative candidate campaigns, volunteered for their local political party, or were poll observers. 

Together with COS volunteers from Virginia and South Carolina, more than 7,500 phone calls were made to voters for a general get-out-the-vote effort. 

All these campaign activities paid off. We helped candidates get elected who will support the COS resolution when it is re-introduced in the 2021-22 legislative session in North Carolina. 

The COS North Carolina team is now positioned to exercise our political muscle going forward. 

We have close to 80,000 supporters in North Carolina, and that is growing rapidly. Why? Because those who support a conservative worldview are no longer sitting on the sidelines. They are engaged in the battle. 

We need you to get involved and volunteer to help save our country from a worldview that will destroy the essence of what it is to be an American. 

It is your duty. You must ask yourself this question: if not you, who? 

Jeff Groh resides in western North Carolina and is a small business owner. He is also a Regional Captain for the Convention of States Project, a non-partisan effort to rein in the expanding role of the federal government.