North Carolina: Trump and Helms. In an insightful column in the News & Observer, veteran journalist Rob Christenson compared Donald Trump and the late Jesse Helms: Differences: Helms “was as plain as brown shoes, married to the same woman his entire adult life, and lived unostentatiously.” Similarities: Both were “plain-spoken populists” who appealed to blue-collar workers and rural voters, were accused of exploiting racial tensions and attacked the news media. Plus ca change, plus la meme chose ……. South Carolina: Graham introducing Dreamers bill. US Sens. Lindsey Graham (R) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) plan to introduce a bill giving legal status to undocumented immigrants who came here as children. Those affected volunteered their status under President Obama’s program, but Obama says he won’t pardon them. Graham said on Fox News, “I cannot live with myself, quite frankly, as a United Statessenator that would take 740,000 people … and throw them to the wolves.” …….Virginia: How Comstock survived. Although Trump lost Virginia’s 10th District (Washington, DC’s Northern Virginia suburbs) by 42% to Hillary Clinton’s 52%, incumbent US Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) was reelected with 53% to challenger LuAnn Bennett’s (D) 47%. Comstock straddled the fence on Trump until the Access Hollywood video, when she said she preferred Mike Pence for president, allowing her to keep Trump-loyal GOPers and many Clinton-leaning voters. The pricey campaigns for both parties cost some $11.6 million dollars, reports the Washington Post …….