North Carolina's electoral future may hinge on rural Black voters who feel ignored by Democrats [View all]

https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-black-voters-democrats-cooper-dc73fceb90a803534f563bc4625fe509

By BILL BARROW and MAYA SWEEDLER
Updated 6:09 AM CDT, April 1, 2026

NASHVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Ricky Brinkley has lived in rural North Carolina nearly all of his 65 years, and he likes it “out in the county,” past the street lights and bustle of the small towns that carpet the landscape.

But the former truck driver can feel left out when elections roll around in this battleground state.

“People don’t come out like they should and ask you how you feel about things,” Brinkley said while he manned the counter at his daughter’s beauty supply store down the street from the Nashville courthouse. “You want somebody to vote, but you don’t want to do nothing to get the vote. No, it don’t work that way.”

Brinkley is among the rural Black residents who Democrats have often failed to mobilize as they try to dent Republican advantages here. It’s an urgent demographic puzzle for the party, which is normally strong with Black voters but tends to fall short in rural areas.

FULL story at link above.