Pat McCrory's not-so-diverse gubernatorial election victory party in 2012. Image via Wikipedia and Photograph Collections, State Archives of North Carolina.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former 14-year Charlotte mayor and one-term governor Pat McCrory bemoaned the lack of white “diversity” in Charlotte and Mecklenburg government on Wednesday morning. The remarks, which have resulted in immediate criticism across the city and, even nationally, came during McCrory’s radio show on local station WBT.

“We’ve become a very segregated political system in Charlotte-Mecklenburg,” McCrory said.

Democrats now control the city, McCrory said, “unlike the diversity that we had in the political system ten years ago.”

But it’s not just McCrory’s thoughts on political diversity that has resulte din backlash.

As he continued his remarks, McCrory blamed the Black Political Caucus for this lack of “diversity.”

“The Black Political Caucus has total control over the Democratic Party,” McCrory said on the show. “Because in the primaries the demographics is that the African American vote dominates the Democratic primary. So therefore if all elections in Charlotte-Mecklenburg are determined by the Democratic primary, all primaries are then determined by the Black Political Caucus. A small group of individuals who hand out flyers at the polling places like McCrorey YMCA. And that determines the election for all of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.”

McCrory continued: “Color of skin should make no difference but the Black Political Caucus does consider color of skin when making recommendations.”

The Black Political Caucus weighed in with local news station WBTV.

“I like Pat McCrory as a person, but McCrory just does not know Charlotte’s history,” former school board chair Arthur Griffin, who heads up the caucus, told reporter Steve Crump. ”I think it’s a political dog whistle to say, let’s engage in this racial politics thing, when in fact the evidence is absolutely clear that the Black Political Caucus engaged in public policy that’s good for all citizens.”

Griffin also stressed that his organization is non-partisan.

The internet was quick to react with opinions on McCrory’s comments, including from recent candidates, activists and other community leaders.

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Matt Comer previously served as editor from October 2007 through August 2015 and as a staff writer afterward in 2016.

One reply on “Pat McCrory bemoans lack of white ‘diversity’ in local politics”

  1. Dont know why wbtv radio keeps saying governor Mccrory when in essence Roy Cooper is the real governor of nc thank god. The conservative and bias leanings of this radio station has pushed
    me away from listening to it anymore.

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