CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory appeared on WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint with a simple message for Democrats and Republicans ahead of the 2024 elections: Wake up.
McCrory recently joined the No Labels campaign as the group's national co-chair. No Labels promotes bipartisanship and compromise, and organizers say the group is considering a third-option unity ticket in the 2024 presidential election.
"Sixty percent of people in America do not like or do not want to select from the current frontrunners of the Democratic or Republican Party," McCrory said.
No Labels is still waiting until Super Tuesday next spring to make any decisions about its 2024 plans. If President Joe Biden and Donald Trump win their respective parties' nominations, McCrory said the group will put forward a ticket with a Democrat and Republican.
"I hope between now and then, however, the two parties will align more with what the American people want," McCrory said.
The former governor isn't encouraged by recent events, including the GOP convention in Greensboro.
"I hope my Republican Party wakes up," McCrory said. "But they didn't do a good job at the convention."
Republicans voted to censure U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis for supporting legislation that compromised with Democrats in Washington. Tillis has worked with Democrats on several hot-button issues, including guns, immigration and marriage equality since taking office in 2015.
"I so disagree with the cancel culture on the left and here the right's trying to cancel Thom Tillis," McCrory said. "Just because you don't agree with someone, you don't cancel them."
McCrory said compromise is essential to effective governing, even though it's not politically popular. He said politicians should be focused on results, not partisan labels.
"The labeling is killing us in politics," he said.
McCrory also opposes a bill North Carolina Republicans are considering that would strip the governor of power. Republicans want members of the State Board of Elections to be nominated by a group of bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate. McCrory said Republicans would regret forcing the bill through the legislature.
"One day, we Republicans will regret that when a Republican gets in the governor's office," McCrory said. "I believe in [the] separation of powers and the executive branch to do the day-to-operations of the government at the federal level and the state level."
Contact Ben Thompson at bthompson@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.