A column published Tuesday (“Democrats rejecting moderates in NC politics”) cited opposition to an anti-choice bill to claim that North Carolina Democrats are “rejecting moderates,” but ignores the party’s priorities, recent accomplishments and the attacks on reproductive rights happening across the South.

Last year, on our Rural N.C. Listening Tour, I visited over 40 counties to hear from rural voters. Overwhelmingly, people were concerned with kitchen table issues such as affordable healthcare, quality public education, clean water, well-paying jobs, a fairer economy and access to the ballot box.

North Carolina Democrats have always been committed to these issues that unite us. That’s why we recruited candidates to run in every single legislative district in 2018. That’s why we launched “Our Carolina Promise,” a unified agenda focused on common-sense priorities.

The results speak for themselves; we flipped 11 districts that President Donald Trump won and broke the Republican supermajority by running quality candidates, including moderates who fit their districts.

Opposing a bill that’s part of a larger nationwide attack on reproductive rights isn’t about “purity.” It’s about values. Standing up for reproductive justice is something to be proud of, just like our “big tent party,” the party that truly reflects Tar Heel diversity.

— Wayne Goodwin

Raleigh

Editor’s note: Goodwin is executive director of the N.C. Democratic Party.