Do Politics Better Podcast

By New Frame

What's Do Politics Better Podcast about?

A weekly look at North Carolina politics and the North Carolina General Assembly from two lobbyists’ perspectives. Hosted by lobbyists Brian Lewis and Skye David.

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Do Politics Better Podcast episodes:

05.23.2024
Secretary Grier Martin's Mission at the NC Department of Military & Veterans Affairs
NC Department of Military & Veterans Affairs Secretary Grier Martin sits down with Skye and Brian for a conversation as we head into the Memorial Day weekend. The Afghanistan War veteran recently returned to North Carolina after working at the...
05.16.2024
Sen. Danny Earl Britt, Jr.'s Unfiltered Take on Policy, Politics, & Politicians
Sen. Danny Earl Britt, Jr. guest hosts the podcast this week with Skye and Brian as they tick through the latest policy, budget, and process developments inside the General Assembly. The Robeson County Republican also gives a candid take on many...
05.09.2024
Budget Surplus a Bust? The Return of Blust? And Talking Shop with Rep. Mark Brody
The $400 million budget surplus predicted for this fiscal year ending on June 30 and the $1 billion surplus penciled in for next year isn't going to happen, at least not at those levels. Skye and Brian also talk about...
05.02.2024
Political Reporter Bryan Anderson on Politics in the Newsroom
Bryan Anderson is a freelance journalist who founded Anderson Alerts, a substack on all things #ncpol. The California native talks about his stints at the News & Observer, Sacremento Bee, WRAL, and The Assembly. While Bryan loves his work as...
04.25.2024
#NCPOL Operative Nathan Babcock: 'I Went from Missionary to Mercenary'
Nathan Babcock plays two crucial roles in #ncpol. Half of his work is inside the General Assembly working as a policy advisor to Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger. During campaign season he's a Republican political consultant who takes lead...
04.18.2024
Majority Leader John Bell & Sen. Jay Chaudhuri Preview Short Session
There's a lot of unfinished issues for legislators to tackle in the General Assembly short session set to begin on April 24: Medical marijuana, gambling, social issues, opportunity scholarships, immigration, and more. Then there's the rumors. House Majority Leader John Bell and Senate Democratic Whip...
04.11.2024
Rep. Charles Smith Holds Court as College Hoopster, Lawyer, & Legislator
Rep. Charles Smith was a three-sport athlete (basketball, baseball, and soccer) in high school. The power forward/centerfielder/sweeper would go on to play college basketball at Emory & Henry College before heading to UNC Law. The newly minted lawyer would return...
04.04.2024
GOP Campaign Consultant Jim Burton's One Goal is to Win
Campaign consultant Jim Burton works everyday to get Republicans elected up and down the ballot. Burton takes listeners behind the scenes of his 2022 work to get Sen. Bobby Hanig elected in a Democratic leaning district. Burton also talks about...
03.28.2024
Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed Opens Up About His Muslim Faith, Ramadan, & Politics
As Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan, Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed talks about his faith and its linkage to Christianity and Judaism, the importance of fasting during this Islamic Holy Month, and how it informs his politics. Skye and Brian also unpack...
03.21.2024
A Heartfelt Conversation with Lobbyist Andy Ellen
Veteran lobbyist Andy Ellen went for a morning run in the summer of 2023, returned home to catch up on news before heading to the General Assembly, and he collapsed. He had a heart attack. The President/General Counsel of the...
03.14.2024
Rep. Brian Biggs' Big Ideas
Rep. Brian Biggs is in his first term representing Randolph County, however his path to victory included a primary race in 2022 against a veteran GOP legislator. The Freshman GOP Whip talks about his life, family and political career, including...
03.07.2024
Knives Out Primary Election Analysis with Sen. Jim Perry
It was a North Carolina primary election for the ages, one that was incorrectly described in the days leading up to it as a "sleeper." Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir/Craven/Beaufort) guest hosts the podcast with Skye and Brian as they try to...
02.28.2024
Special Primary Election Preview with Professors Michael Bitzer & Chris Cooper
Primary Election Day is Tuesday, March 5, the day many races across North Carolina will be ultimately decided. However, some of the more crowded races are likely heading to runoffs. Political science professors Michael Bitzer (Catawba College) and Chris Cooper (Western...
02.22.2024
Kimberly Reynolds: Democrats' Maven Political Operative
Kimberly Reynolds is a Democratic political consultant at Maven Strategies, a firm she founded with Maggie Barlow. Kimberly talks about her career dating back to 1999, including her past work for the NC Senate Caucus program and #ncpol campaigns she's...
02.15.2024
The Political Mettle of Sen. Eddie Settle
Sen. Eddie Settle is a no-nonsense, unpretentious, and accessible legislator whose style of legislating has won him admiration and respect from his colleagues, including Democrats. The Wilkes County native talks with Skye and Brian about his politics, life, family, work,...
02.08.2024
Rep. Caleb Rudow on Trading a Safe House Seat to Run for Congress
Rep. Caleb Rudow is currently sitting in one of the safest House seats in the General Assembly. The Asheville Democrat could sit back in 2024, put a few yard signs up, and coast to re-election victory. So why is he...
02.01.2024
Dylan Watts: The Man Behind the Senate Caucus Curtain
The Senate Republican Caucus is well known as a well-oiled, disciplined machine known for recruiting top-shelf candidates, methodically executing campaign plans, and winning majorities (sometimes supermajorities) since 2010. Political operative Dylan Watts runs that machine and he sits down to...
01.25.2024
Sens. Warren Daniel & Julie Mayfield Live from Asheville!
The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a live recording of the Do Politics Better Podcast in front of an audience of over 100 people on the campus of UNC Asheville on January 19. Skye and Brian were joined by Senators...
01.18.2024
Tim Kent: The Life & Stories of an Ultimate Political Insider
Tim Kent, the executive director of the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, traces his North Carolina political roots back to 1981, the year he arrived in the state and started covering its politics as an on-air TV reporter. Kent...
01.11.2024
Meet Kian Sadjadi, NC Democratic Party Executive Director
The NC Democratic Party announced last fall it hired Kian Sadjadi as its new executive director. The 36-year old veteran political operative will lead Democrats in 2024 as they try to turn their Election Day fortunes around. Skye and Brian...
01.04.2024
Sen. Vickie Sawyer on Dealing with Social Media Trolls in the New Year
Sen. Vickie Sawyer kicks off the first podcast episode of 2024, and the conversation centers around social media trolls and how to deal with them. The Iredell County Republican also reads some mean tweets she received from trolls when she...
12.21.2023
Sen. Thom Tillis: From Trailer Parks to NC Speaker to US Senator
In this year-end podcast, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis sits down with Skye and Brian on Capitol Hill to talk about his early life growing up in trailer parks, his first foray into politics, the historic 2010 Republican takeover of the...
12.14.2023
Journalist Billy Ball Talks NC Politics, Culture, & Coping with Tragedy
Billy Ball writes about North Carolina politics and culture as Senior Editor at Cardinal & Pine, a left-leaning, online newspaper. Whether Ball is covering water quality in rural North Carolina, school funding disparities, or writing about the sounds of the...
12.07.2023
Rep. David Willis’ Journey from Eastern NC to China to the General Assembly
Rep. David Willis was raised by a single mom in Wilson, NC and eventually made his way to Union County, where he became an early childhood education provider. In between, he had stops in Greensboro, Boone, New York City, and...
11.30.2023
Rep. Maria Cervania: ’Here’s a Story I’ve Never Shared’
Rep. Maria Cervania is serving in her first term in the General Assembly after serving her Cary and Morrisville communities on the Wake County Board of Commissioners. The progressive Democrat talks about growing up in a Republican household with deep...
11.16.2023
Dr. Michael Bitzer: ’2024 is Going to be Off the Charts’
Dr. Michael Bitzer is often quoted in the media on all things #ncpol in addition to contributing to political discussions with his engaging and informational social media posts. The political scientist at Catawba College sits down with Skye and Brian...
11.09.2023
Rep. Kelly Hastings on Overcoming a Learning Disability
Rep. Kelly Hastings has served in the General Assembly since 2011, however his work in NC politics dates back to 1992 when Lt. Governor Jim Gardner ran for Governor against Jim Hunt. It's also when the Cleveland County Republican met...
11.02.2023
2023 Long Session Wrap Up with Sen. Todd Johnson & Rep. Allison Dahle
The General Assembly's 2023 long session is adjourned and Sen. Todd Johnson (R-Union) and Rep. Allison Dahle (D-Wake) sit down with Skye and Brian to break it all down, including Medicaid expansion, the party switch, abortion, medical marijuana, LGBTQ+ bills,...
10.26.2023
Reps. Destin Hall, John Bell, Jason Saine, & Brenden Jones on the Speaker Deal
A deal for NC House Speaker has been reached by Reps. Destin Hall, John Bell, Jason Saine, and Brenden Jones. The four Republican legislators talk to Skye and Brian about why an agreement was reached, the timing of the announcement,...
10.19.2023
Israel’s War Hits Home for Lobbyist Bruce Mildwurf
Most of the world looked in horror as Hamas attacked Israel with brutal terrorism on October 7. When General Assembly lobbyist Bruce Mildwurf heard the news, he immediately thought of his daughter who is serving in the Israeli Army. One...
10.12.2023
Rep. Jarrod Lowery’s Love of Home, Family, & Lumbee Heritage
Rep. Jarrod Lowery loves Robeson County. It's where his Lumbee people have lived for thousands of years, it's where he grew up, and it's where he met his wife and is raising a family. The freshman Republican talks about life...
10.05.2023
Behind the Lines: Redistricting 101 with Dan Crawford
Dan Crawford has been on all sides of redistricting. In 2001, he worked for a Democratic Senate Redistricting Committee Chair, who oversaw the gerrymandering of congressional and legislative districts that year. Two decades later, Dan found himself on the U.S....
09.28.2023
Professor Chris Cooper: #NCPOL Class Is In Session
Dr. Chris Cooper is a regular contributor to #ncpol. His commentary and political insights can be found on X (Twitter) and in NC and national media outlets. The Madison Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Western Carolina University visited Raleigh...
09.21.2023
Casinos Fold & Budget Rolls: In the Room with Rep Allen Chesser
Rep. Allen Chesser was in the room on Tuesday afternoon when the news came down that casino legislation in the state budget was dead, including the one planned for his Nash County district. The freshman Republican takes us behind the...
09.14.2023
Senate Doubles Down on Casinos, House Plays Against the Odds
It was an epic week at the General Assembly as casino politics took center stage and threw a state budget vote off track this week. In this special edition of the podcast, Skye and Brian give a rundown of what...
09.08.2023
NC’s Capitol Hill Reporter Danielle Battaglia: ‘You Don’t Want Me Digging’
Danielle Battaglia is the NC Congressional Correspondent for the News & Observer and Charlotte Observer and covers North Carolina's 16 members of Congress and reports on NC news from the White House. Danielle's reporting career started in Rockingham County...
08.31.2023
Rep. Ken Fontenot: A New Look for the Grand Old Party
Rep. Ken Fontenot is known for his fiery floor speeches, dramatic committee presentations, and his constant reminder to his legislative colleagues that he was elected to bring resources and change to his majority Black district in Wilson. The first term...
08.25.2023
Rep. Cecil Brockman’s Balancing Act as a Swing Vote
Rep. Cecil Brockman is one of a handful of Democrats who is considered a swing vote in the General Assembly. The 5-term legislator talks about how he balances getting needed resources for his High Point district in the budget while...
08.17.2023
Intern to Influence: Sen. Brad Overcash’s Story
Sen. Brad Overcash started his political journey as Congressional page for the late Rep. Howard Coble before interning in the NC Senate. He would later go on to serve as an officer in the NC Republican Party. In 2022, Senate...
08.10.2023
Rep. Ya Liu’s Journey from Immigrant to NC Legislator
Rep. Ya Liu immigrated to the United States from China two decades ago to pursue higher education and better opportunities. She had little money, spoke very little English, but went on to earn two doctoral degrees, started a thriving law...
08.03.2023
The Adventurous Life & Career of Reporter Rose Hoban
If you work on health care policy at the General Assembly, whether as a legislator or lobbyist, there's a good chance you've spoken to health care reporter Rose Hoban, the founder of NC Health News. However, you probably didn't know...
07.27.2023
Rep. Jeff Zenger on Surviving Childhood & Thriving Today
Rep. Jeff Zenger is by all accounts a success: A beautiful family, a thriving business, and a productive political career. However, life wasn't always so charmed for the two-term legislator. The Forsyth County Republican talks about a troubled childhood in...
07.20.2023
The Hurt of Rep. Allison Dahle
Rep. Allison Dahle is at the top, or near the top, of everyone's list of favorite legislators. That goes for Republicans, Democrats, staff, and lobbyists. And the Raleigh Democrat has worked hard to cultivate meaningful relations with everyone, including the...
07.13.2023
Rep. Allen Chesser: Combat Veteran, Cop, & Policy Problem Solver
Rep. Allen Chesser was not likely to earn the high school superlative of "Most Likely to Serve in the General Assembly". It was also unlikely he would go on to marry his wife Jessica, who he met in high school,...
06.29.2023
The Atonement of Rep. Jeff McNeely
Rep. Jeff McNeely asked Rep. Abe Jones a question with racial overtones during a heated House floor debate in May that landed both legislators in national and state news stories. While the Iredell County Republican immediately apologized and Rep. Jones...
06.23.2023
Sen. Paul Lowe: ’My Style of Politics is Relational’
Sen. Paul Lowe has served in the Senate since 2015. However, his political work and public service started in the fall of 1991 when he was named as pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church. Sen. Lowe reflects on his abiding faith...
06.15.2023
Treasurer Dale Folwell is Running for NC Governor
NC State Treasurer Dale Folwell is known as a fix-what's-broken political leader going back to his days serving in local government in Winston-Salem, his tenure in the General Assembly, and recent service in the executive branch. Folwell is now focused...
06.08.2023
Rep. Abe Jones’ Story of Grace & Forgiveness
Rep. Abe Jones is a man of many accomplishments: student leader in high school, a standout runner, double Harvard graduate, attorney, and Superior Court judge. That's why a question from a House colleague a couple weeks back questioning his achievements...
06.01.2023
Catching Up, Clearing the Air with Sens. Benton Sawrey & Mary Wills Bode
Senators Benton Sawrey and Mary Wills Bode were guests on the podcast in the weeks following the 2022 election. They return to the podcast this week to talk about their freshman terms, the ups and downs, and their perspectives on...
05.25.2023
Inside Lucille Sherman’s Reporter’s Notebook
Axios Raleigh reporter Lucille Sherman has broken some blockbuster stories that in many ways have defined the 2023 legislative session: Auditor Beth Wood’s car accident, Rep. Tricia Cotham’s party switch, and the Medicaid expansion deal. Lucille talks about her career...

What's Do Politics Better Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Do Politics Better Podcast episodes:

Secretary Grier Martin's Mission at the NC Department of Military & Veterans Affairs

Sen. Danny Earl Britt, Jr.'s Unfiltered Take on Policy, Politics, & Politicians

Budget Surplus a Bust? The Return of Blust? And Talking Shop with Rep. Mark Brody

Political Reporter Bryan Anderson on Politics in the Newsroom

#NCPOL Operative Nathan Babcock: 'I Went from Missionary to Mercenary'

Majority Leader John Bell & Sen. Jay Chaudhuri Preview Short Session

Rep. Charles Smith Holds Court as College Hoopster, Lawyer, & Legislator

GOP Campaign Consultant Jim Burton's One Goal is to Win

Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed Opens Up About His Muslim Faith, Ramadan, & Politics

A Heartfelt Conversation with Lobbyist Andy Ellen

Rep. Brian Biggs' Big Ideas

Knives Out Primary Election Analysis with Sen. Jim Perry

Special Primary Election Preview with Professors Michael Bitzer & Chris Cooper

Kimberly Reynolds: Democrats' Maven Political Operative

The Political Mettle of Sen. Eddie Settle

Rep. Caleb Rudow on Trading a Safe House Seat to Run for Congress

Dylan Watts: The Man Behind the Senate Caucus Curtain

Sens. Warren Daniel & Julie Mayfield Live from Asheville!

Tim Kent: The Life & Stories of an Ultimate Political Insider

Meet Kian Sadjadi, NC Democratic Party Executive Director

Sen. Vickie Sawyer on Dealing with Social Media Trolls in the New Year

Sen. Thom Tillis: From Trailer Parks to NC Speaker to US Senator

Journalist Billy Ball Talks NC Politics, Culture, & Coping with Tragedy

Rep. David Willis’ Journey from Eastern NC to China to the General Assembly

Rep. Maria Cervania: ’Here’s a Story I’ve Never Shared’

Dr. Michael Bitzer: ’2024 is Going to be Off the Charts’

Rep. Kelly Hastings on Overcoming a Learning Disability

2023 Long Session Wrap Up with Sen. Todd Johnson & Rep. Allison Dahle

Reps. Destin Hall, John Bell, Jason Saine, & Brenden Jones on the Speaker Deal

Israel’s War Hits Home for Lobbyist Bruce Mildwurf

Rep. Jarrod Lowery’s Love of Home, Family, & Lumbee Heritage

Behind the Lines: Redistricting 101 with Dan Crawford

Professor Chris Cooper: #NCPOL Class Is In Session

Casinos Fold & Budget Rolls: In the Room with Rep Allen Chesser

Senate Doubles Down on Casinos, House Plays Against the Odds

NC’s Capitol Hill Reporter Danielle Battaglia: ‘You Don’t Want Me Digging’

Rep. Ken Fontenot: A New Look for the Grand Old Party

Rep. Cecil Brockman’s Balancing Act as a Swing Vote

Intern to Influence: Sen. Brad Overcash’s Story

Rep. Ya Liu’s Journey from Immigrant to NC Legislator

The Adventurous Life & Career of Reporter Rose Hoban

Rep. Jeff Zenger on Surviving Childhood & Thriving Today

The Hurt of Rep. Allison Dahle

Rep. Allen Chesser: Combat Veteran, Cop, & Policy Problem Solver

The Atonement of Rep. Jeff McNeely

Sen. Paul Lowe: ’My Style of Politics is Relational’

Treasurer Dale Folwell is Running for NC Governor

Rep. Abe Jones’ Story of Grace & Forgiveness

Catching Up, Clearing the Air with Sens. Benton Sawrey & Mary Wills Bode

Inside Lucille Sherman’s Reporter’s Notebook