RIP Nick Galifianakis

[Atlas Force]

https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-obituary-congress-nick-galifianakis-3eff4fc5ae9e72758c3be790902cab2c

A funeral will be held this weekend for former Democratic U.S. Rep. Nick Galifianakis, who represented central North Carolina for several years before two unsuccessful Senate bids – the first against archconservative Jesse Helms.

Galifianakis died on Monday at age 94, according to obituary information from Hall-Wynne Funeral Service in Durham. Galifianakis, who had Parkinson’s disease for several years, died at a Raleigh retirement community, a family spokesman, Jack Pinnix, told The News & Observer of Raleigh.

A moderate by national political standards, Galifianakis was on the liberal edge of the political spectrum in North Carolina. He supported the Equal Rights Amendment and was the first member of the state’s congressional delegation to oppose the Vietnam War, The News & Observer reported.

While in the state House as a judiciary committee chairman, Galifianakis helped oversee the overhaul of the state’s court system into what it largely remains today.

Galifianakis had a larger-than-life personality when it came to politics and campaigning. He used his long last name to his advantage, with his campaigns distributing two buttons – one read “GALIFI” and the other “ANAKIS.”

Galifianakis is survived by his wife, Louise, and two children. Actor Zach Galifianakis and cartoonist Nick Galifianakis are his nephews.

[Storr]

RIP FF

[Meclazine for Israel]

He was a great comedian. R.I.P.



Between Two Ferns

https://youtu.be/OWSnrYl_Acg

[Fuzzy Bear]

Galifianakis was the Senate candidate for the Democratic Party against Jesse Helms, and he blew a lead to lose 54-46.  In another year he may have won.  He was North Carolina's most liberal Representative, but he was a moderate by national standards.  NC was a more straight ticket state than many in the South, but he tried to counteract that by arguing that Helms was to the right of Richard Nixon on popular foreign policy issues.  That strategy didn't work.  What was interesting was that on the same day they elected Helms, NC voters also elected James Holshouser, a genuinely moderate Republican.  NC Republicans had been mostly "Mountain Republicans".  Helms' victory was a big departure from that.

[Vice President Christian Man]

RIP

[Vice President Christian Man]

Galifianakis was the Senate candidate for the Democratic Party against Jesse Helms, and he blew a lead to lose 54-46.  In another year he may have won.  He was North Carolina's most liberal Representative, but he was a moderate by national standards.  NC was a more straight ticket state than many in the South, but he tried to counteract that by arguing that Helms was to the right of Richard Nixon on popular foreign policy issues.  That strategy didn't work.  What was interesting was that on the same day they elected Helms, NC voters also elected James Holshouser, a genuinely moderate Republican.  NC Republicans had been mostly "Mountain Republicans".  Helms' victory was a big departure from that.

In many ways it was a turning point as he was the perfect candidate to win over many blue collar Dems who were moderate or conservative-leaning but not quite ready to vote GOP. I'd add that he was the most similar politician to Donald Trump at least in the modern era which likely was enough to help Trump win that state twice, although like Trump he was extremely polarizing.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Galifianakis was the Senate candidate for the Democratic Party against Jesse Helms, and he blew a lead to lose 54-46.  In another year he may have won.  He was North Carolina's most liberal Representative, but he was a moderate by national standards.  NC was a more straight ticket state than many in the South, but he tried to counteract that by arguing that Helms was to the right of Richard Nixon on popular foreign policy issues.  That strategy didn't work.  What was interesting was that on the same day they elected Helms, NC voters also elected James Holshouser, a genuinely moderate Republican.  NC Republicans had been mostly "Mountain Republicans".  Helms' victory was a big departure from that.

In many ways it was a turning point as he was the perfect candidate to win over many blue collar Dems who were moderate or conservative-leaning but not quite ready to vote GOP. I'd add that he was the most similar politician to Donald Trump at least in the modern era which likely was enough to help Trump win that state twice, although like Trump he was extremely polarizing.

Galafianakis was leading in the polls for most of the campaign, but Helms surged late, suggesting that in fluid races, a large chunk of people are up in the air until the final day.  He got 46% of the vote, which wasn't impressive until you note that McGovern got only 29% of the vote.  Of course, many Democrats, both in the South and in the rest of the country, ran that far ahead of McGovern in order to win. 

There were some Democratic defectors in the race, but North Carolina's Democratic party was one of the more loyal in terms of supporting the national party.  Sam Ervin campaigned for Galafianaikis, as did Herman Talmadge.  Gov. Bob Scott (who was term-limited) endorsed Galafianaikis.  (Scott was a Governor who at least admitted he was voting for McGovern, even if he did not do much for him.)  The Democrats for Helms were mostly local officials, but Helms ran stronger in Eastern NC than any Republican ever did up until that time.  I will note that there were other Southern Democrats and Border State Democrats in 1972 that ran more strongly than Galafianakis.  In this category, I put Sam Nunn (D-GA) who won, Ed Edmondson (D-OK) who lost with 48%, Dolph Briscoe (D-TX) who won with 51%, who all flatly refused to even say they would vote for McGovern.  No Southern Democrat actually endorsed Nixon that won, but McGovern's nomination was an unmitigated disaster for Democrats in the South, including Democrats like Galafaniakis that were loyal to the national Democratic Party and were part of a new Democratic politics in the South.