The year’s new political fault lines are already forming | Matt K. Lewis Jan 12, 2026 Jan 12, 2026 Updated Apr 12, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save That escalated quickly. We’re barely into 2026, and events are already unfolding that could meaningfully reshape the political landscape. Matt K. Lewis kAm%96 562E9 @7 #6?66 }:4@=6 v@@5[ 2 bf\J62C\@=5 >@E96C 2?5 &]$] 4:E:K6? H9@ H2D D9@E 2?5 <:==65 3J 2? x>>:8C2E:@? 2?5 rFDE@>D t?7@C46>6?E 286?E :? |:??62A@=:D[ 92D E96 A@E6?E:2= E@ D92<6 E96 A@=:E:42= =2?5D42A6 :? 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A@=:4:6D]k^Am People are also reading… WNC Renaissance Faire set for this weekend in McDowell County Stabbed husband saves wife by driving car into knife-wielding man, NC sheriff says Marion man accused of waving gun at people floating on Catawba River Burke superintendent addresses Draughn, Freedom football game called at halftime Lake Lure starts eviction proceedings against prominent business Baxter International issues recall of IV solutions made at McDowell County plant McDowell County commissioners approve six-month moratorium on data centers McDowell County animal advocate says well-known cat who lived along greenway missing McDowell EMS leader receives scholarship to attend UNC School of Government McDowell alumni spotlight: From Marion Elementary to leading the county's parks and rec Find out where the Carolina Panthers landed in ESPN's final preseason power rankings See McDowell Tech students who made President’s, Dean’s and Honors Lists 1 killed, 2 injured after train hit car in Hickory; Charges are pending in investigation Blue Ridge Parkway seeks public input on Linville Falls recovery plan 2 new Panthers to wear uniform numbers of beloved franchise legends kAm|62?H9:=6[ %CF>A’D 564:D:@? 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A=2?E65] (96E96C E96J >2EFC6 :D E96 BF6DE:@?]k^AmkAmqF4<=6 FA] xE’D @?=J y2?F2CJ]k^Am Lewis is the author of “Filthy Rich Politicians” and “Too Dumb to Fail.” He wrote this for The Los Angeles Times. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story The ‘insurrection’ actors of Minneapolis | Wall Street Journal Obstructing ICE is a crime, but it doesn’t warrant military intervention 12 political cartoons venture into the Venezuelan incursion The nation's top cartoonist react to the U.S. seizing Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
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