iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Instead of Making America Great Again, Trump and Hegseth are diminishing what separates us from places like Iran. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

Sick bastards

Live-streaming an execution might excite sociopaths but demeans the country.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Republicans are calling the legislature back into session to remind voters of Trump’s gas and diesel price hikes. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

Panic in Raleigh

Republicans are calling the legislature back in session to remind voters of Trump’s gas and diesel price hikes.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The Senate race is going to drive the electorate and the larger Cooper’s margin, the more Democrats he will drag across the line. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

As Republicans abandon Whatley, Cooper needs to run even harder

The Senate race will still drive the electorate and the larger Cooper’s margin, the better down-ballot Democrats will do.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

These amendments are another attempt to shift the tax burden from the wealthy to the rest of us. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

Vote “No” on the NC GOP’s bad amendments

Republicans want to keep shifting the tax burden from the wealthy to the rest of us.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Voters expected Congressional Republicans to put a check on Trump and instead they gave him a blank check. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

No one to blame but themselves

Voters expected Republicans in Congress to put a check on Trump, but they gave him a blank check instead.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Donald Trump called North Carolina “one of the worst in the nation” and Republicans won’t defend the state. Why do they need to always hate something? open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

Trashing the Old North State

Republicans cheer as Trump calls North Carolina “one of the worst in the whole nation.”

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Democrat believe there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed. Republicans don’t. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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A tale of two parties

Democrats still believe there are lines that shouldn't be crossed. Republicans don't.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

After more than 50 years, North Carolina completed its transition from the Solid South but neither party came out on top. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

The party’s over

North Carolina completed its transition from the Solid South and neither party came out on top.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Democrats will have a good year, but Republicans have maintained a historical advantage in turnout in the state that could mitigate the impact of the impending wave. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

History in North Carolina should temper expectations

It will be a good year for Democrats, but a historical GOP turnout advantage in the state could keep it from being great.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The wave political prognosticator Charlie Cook describes is the type that washes people into office. In North Carolina, two Democrats could be swept into Congress. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Adding districts to the equation

Political prognosticator Charlie Cook says Republicans may be facing a nightmare scenario, putting seats in play that should be safe for Republicans.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Michael Whatley’s latest ad exploits a tragic death to lie about Roy Cooper. His campaign is flailing. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

Whatley’s act of desperation

Whatley’s ad exploiting a tragic death to blatantly lie about Roy Cooper is the sign of a failing campaign.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Whatley is like the guy at the back of a large crowd, waving his arms, yelling, “Look at me!” open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Just flailing

Whatley is trying to change the conversation. It won't work.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Cooper holds a steady lead over Whatley who is still largely undefined. Dems lead in legislative generic ballot, but there are warning signs for Democrats as well.

politicsnc.com

Heading toward the final stretch, the NC GOP is still struggling

Cooper leads Whatley and Democrats lead generic legislative ballot.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

The GOP forced Edwards out after sexual harassment scandal. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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They chucked him

Republicans force Edwards out in NC-11

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Anderson Clayton, Travis Fain, and Thomas Mills are back after a five-month hiatus to give you an update on North Carolina politics. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

Restless Natives NC returns!

We're back with updates on the Senate race, budget, board of elections, and a brief update on Congressional races.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

"What’s happening in North Carolina...is the culmination of a twelve-year experiment in stress testing democracy’s guardrails. And what Republicans learned in Raleigh, they’re now applying in Washington and in states across the country." open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

North Carolina was the dress rehearsal for MAGA

The state offers lessons for the country.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

State Auditor Dave Boliek is the GOP’s latest blunt instrument to pummel democracy. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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They aren't even pretending anymore

Boliek appointed people everybody knows are partisan to oversee our elections.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Boss Hogg is a parody of 20th century Southern political bosses. Brenden Jones is a parody of Boss Hogg. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Boss Hoggs

While Boss Hogg chased bootleggers, Brenden Jones is chasing the ABC commission.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Platner illustrates the mistakes of both the activists and the establishment. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Face Plant

Graham Platner is a failure of both the activist left and the establishment.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Democrats might win big, but that doesn’t mean voters want a hard left turn. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Don't mistake a wave for a mandate

The election is going to be about Trump, not Democrats.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Democrats might win big, but that doesn’t mean voters want a hard left turn. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

Don't mistake a wave for a mandate

The election is going to be about Trump, not Democrats.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Cooper is now consistently leading Whatley by double digits. The race may tighten, but the GOP SuperPACs are going to take a hard look before spending money in NC. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

For the GOP, things just keep getting worse

Polls are now consistently showing Whatley down by double digits.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Republicans have been crying voter fraud to undermine faith in our elections when they are the ones trying to gain partisan advantage over elections. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Undermining elections

Republicans have been trying to rig elections in North Carolina for 15 years so why should we think the current election bill would do anything different.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Republicans have been trying to undermine elections in North Carolina ever since they took control of the legislature in 2011. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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The relentless assault on democracy

Ever since they took control of the legislature, Republicans have been stacking the deck in elections.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Democrats have a superior candidate in a year that will be difficult for Republicans. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Lean Democrat

Republicans face a difficult political environment with a weak candidate for US Senate.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Micheal Whatley’s unforced error defines his struggling campaign. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Canesgate

Whatley's self-inflicted wound illustrates the difference in the two campaigns.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

State Auditor Dave Boliek is weaponizing the State Board of Elections to make voting more difficult for young people. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

open.substack.com

The corruption of the State Board of Elections

State Auditor Dave Boliek is weaponizing the State Board of Elections to make voting more difficult for young people.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Since Republicans have been in power in NC, the wealthy have seen their taxes decrease while the poorest have seen theirs increase. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Taxing the poor to pay for the rich

Caps on the income tax and restricting local governments from raising property taxes will cost those who can least afford it.

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Thomas Mills @tmillsnc.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Republicans convinced themselves that Americans wanted something dramatically different when in fact they wanted stability. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

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Believing their own spin

Republicans convinced themselves that the country wanted Trump's America when most people don't even know what that is.

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