Carolina Forward is a left-of-center advocacy group based out of North Carolina. The group was founded to influence the 2022 midterm elections, endorsing nine candidates. ¹ Carolina Forward also produces left-leaning polls and election ads, and publishes policy papers from a left-of-center perspective. ²

Activities

Carolina Forward engages in a wide range of political activities, including direct involvement in elections, advertisements, and policy publications. In 2022, the group reported 78,000 email subscribers, 60 articles, two policy papers, seven polls, nine endorsements, five successful endorsements. The group also raises funds for political candidates through Democratic-aligned fundraising platform ActBlue. ³

In September of 2022, Carolina Forward released a pro-abortion ad titled “No Heartbeat.” The ad depicts a pro-life couple changing their views when facing an unexpected pregnancy. ⁴

Carolina Forward’s endorsements show a consistent pattern of support for candidates aligned with the left wing of the Democratic Party. The group endorsed nine candidates in the 2022 midterm elections, five of whom won their races. ⁵

The sole candidate for federal office endorsed by Carolina Forward was Democrat Nida Allam, who ran for North Carolina’s 4^th congressional district. Allam previously worked for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and was endorsed by Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and the Sunrise Movement. ⁶ A pro-Palestinian Muslim, Allam was also endorsed by Representatives Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN). ⁷ Allam lost the 2022 primary to then-state Senator Valerie Foushee (D-NC). ⁸

Outside of direct electoral activities, Carolina Forward functions as a policy think tank, publishing articles and policy papers with a strong leftward bent. These policy papers advocate for left-of-center positions in housing, labor law, and campaign finance and election law. ⁹

The group also published seven polls in 2022. These polls covered federal and local elections, policy issues such as regulation of energy companies, and demographic-specific polls concentrated on Hispanic voters. ¹⁰

Additionally, Carolina Forward has an active media presence which it uses to target conservative political candidates. Publicity campaigns by the group attempted to amplify allegations against North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson (R-NC), prevent the hiring of the conservative lawyer Mark Martin as dean of High Point University law school, and promote hostile election press against Republican candidates Bo Hines and Brian Echevarria. ¹¹

Policies

Carolina Forward has consistently advocated for left-of-center policies. Aside from endorsing candidates aligned with the left wing of the Democratic Party and its leadership such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rep. Rashida Talib (D-MI), and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), the group promotes these policies through its publications, particularly in the areas of labor and election law. ¹²

On labor policy, Carolina Forward advocates for extreme regulation of labor markets. These proposed policies include a $15-per-hour minimum wage with built-in future increases, an increase in mandatory unemployment insurance, and the repeal of right-to-work laws. ¹³

The group’s election policy is divided into two parts: election laws and campaign finance laws. Proposed election policy changes include abolishing the state legislature’s right to set congressional districts in favor of an unelected committee, implementing ranked-choice voting, abolishing local representation in favor of proportional representation, automatic voter registration, and granting the right to vote to convicted felons. On campaign finance law, Carolina Forward proposes lowering caps for political donations by individuals and PACs, government funding for judicial campaigns, and bans on politicians receiving donations from individuals connected to their policy areas. ¹⁴

1. “Carolina Forward’s May Endorsements.” Carolina Forward. April 28, 2002. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/blog/2022-endorsements/
2. “2022 Report.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-annual-report.pdf
3.  “2022 Report.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-annual-report.pdf
4. “2022 Report.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-annual-report.pdf
5.  “2022 Report.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-annual-report.pdf
6. “Carolina Forward’s May Endorsements.” Carolina Forward. April 28, 2002. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/blog/2022-endorsements/
7. Rowaida Abdelaziz. “Nida Allam, North Carolina’s First Muslim Woman Elected, Sets Her Eyes On Congress.” HuffPost. November 9, 2021. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nida-allam-north-carolina-muslim-congress_n_618aaff1e4b06de3eb7b7eb5
8. Zoha Qamar. “More Democrats Than Ever Support The Palestinian Cause, And That’s Dividing The Party.” FiveThirtyEight. September 22, 2022. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/democrats-israeli-palestinian-conflict-divide/
9. “2022 Report.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-annual-report.pdf
10.  “2022 Report.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-annual-report.pdf
11. “2022 Report.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-annual-report.pdf
12. “2022 Report.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-annual-report.pdf
13. “Our Daily Bread.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/our-daily-bread/
14. “Our Indivisible Destiny.” Carolina Forward. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://carolinaforward.org/indivisible-destiny/