Imagine this scenario. A politician runs for reelection. The vote is close, but he gets less votes than the challenger. Three months later after all other newly elected or reelected government officials are sworn in, this losing politician remains in office because the election board refuses to certify his loss - and the election board is controlled by the losing politician's party. Imagine, further, that this losing politician clings to power despite calls from leaders of his own party, including his party's Senate majority leader, to concede the election and step down.

Stop imagining. This is happening today in North Carolina, as Britt Cobb remains the state's Commissioner of Agriculture, despite losing his race to Republican Steve Troxler. He has started serving the new term as all other state goverment officials have been sworn in. Imagine if, say, Tom Daschle started serving a new term in the U.S. Senate on January 6, and you'd understand what Britt Cobb is doing.

This lifetime government employee appears to validate a government employee stereotype - the belief they have a right to their job and no one can take it away. Britt Cobb believes that even the voters can't, after they already have. And the Democrats on the State Board of Elections have chosen to put partisanship above Democracy. Now, Cobb wants to get the Democrat-controlled legislature to decide who will be the next Commissioner of Agriculture - the voters be damned. Dem. leader Sen. Marc Basnight has already urged Cobb to concede, now he should make it clear that Cobb wouldn't have the support of his party in the legislature. Then, maybe Cobb will leave the office he has been voted out of.

Until then, the N.C. Agriculture Department - and the people of the state - are victims of a coup. Ask the next N.C. Democrat you see where they stand on partisanship and democracy - and what they're doing about the coup.