Tune in here to this ​Thursday's edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen!

Breaking Brett Jensen kicks the show off by talking about the surge in voter turnout across Mecklenburg County and what it reveals about the local political landscape. He compares the 2025 election results to 2023, noting that turnout jumped from 15.5% to 22%—a massive 45% increase. While some attribute the rise to the controversial one-cent sales tax referendum, Jensen argues the phenomenon runs deeper, pointing to a broader “Trump effect” that fueled Democratic turnout not only in Charlotte but across North Carolina and even Virginia.

Jensen is joined by Congressman Mark Harris to discuss the recent letter sent to Governor Josh Stein requesting the deployment of the National Guard to Charlotte. Harris explains that the request was prompted by rising violent crime, police staffing shortages, and growing public concern following a string of homicides. He emphasizes that the proposal, supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, aims to provide a short-term solution to restore safety and confidence—particularly in uptown Charlotte—while long-term reforms take shape. Harris notes that similar measures have yielded positive results in other cities and urges Governor Stein to “put politics aside” and listen to law enforcement leaders.

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