Do Politics Better Podcast

Election Day is less than four weeks away, and the balance of power in the North Carolina General Assembly is on the ballot.

Skye and Brian talk with Alex Baltzegar of NCFREE, whose new 2026 General Election Report takes a district-by-district look at the legislative races most likely to determine control of the General Assembly.

Which races are truly up for grabs? Can Democrats break the Republican supermajority? And what would it take for either party to actually win control of the House or Senate?

Alex breaks down the numbers, the key districts and what to watch on Election Night.

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, NC REALTORS®, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

John Drescher has spent a career telling the stories of North Carolina and American politics through journalism, with stops along the way at The Daily Tar Heel, The News & Observer, The Charlotte Observer, The Washington Post and more.

As he prepares to retire from The Assembly on October 2, John looks back on a remarkable career in newspapers, the changes he’s witnessed, and what he believes the profession still gets right.

John also talks about his role in helping usher The News & Observer into the digital age, the challenges and opportunities that came with transforming a traditional newspaper, and why good journalism still matters.

And with retirement finally here, what comes next? Maybe more time for baseball, cycling and, most importantly, his grandchildren.  Or maybe John will write another book about NC politics.  (He wrote a book in 2000 about the Democratic primary for governor 40 years prior.). 

Skye and Brian also unpack a week of news, including two great ads in the 11th district, polling, and more. 

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, NC REALTORS®, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

Steven Webb is Director of Legislative Affairs at the NC Home Builders Association, and Kimberly Reynolds is a Partner at Maven Strategies, a Democratic political consulting firm. Both have been around North Carolina politics for decades, and while they certainly have their political disagreements and agreements, they’re also very close friends.

With Skye David on vacation, Brian brings Steven and Kim together to talk about this week’s political news and the three settle into a fun and expansive conversation about all things #NCPOL, including the days when conservative Democrats dominated the General Assembly to the 2026 election and plenty in between.

And while you may come for the political talk, we hope you stay for the friendship. It’s evident throughout this conversation.  It’s a reminder that political disagreements don’t have to mean personal disagreements.

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, NC REALTORS®, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

Neal Inman, Chief of Staff to House Speaker Destin Hall, rejoins Do Politics Better for an inside look at the session, including a look back at the major issues that shaped the General Assembly and gives an insider’s perspective on the negotiations that ultimately produced a budget agreement with the Senate.  (Click to listen to Neal's first interview with DPB in 2022.)

Inman also discusses the transition from the legislative side to the political side of the job as November’s elections approach, offering a firsthand perspective on the changing dynamics of North Carolina politics.

Plus, Skye and Brian break down the latest news, including old social media posts from a candidate, a major NC Supreme Court decision, a pair of polls, and more.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, the NC Realtors, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

Dr. Tim Reeder is finishing up his second term representing Pitt County in the NC House, and a lot has changed since his first podcast appearance right after he took office in 2023.  Not only does he co-chair the House Health Committee, but he's authored major legislation that is now law.  

But the emergency medicine doctor wants more of his bills implemented and we talk about those ideas.  We also talk about HBO's The Pitt, ER, and MASH, and college football.  

Plus, Skye and Brian break down the latest news, including Justice Phil Berger, Jr.'s surprise announcement, a congressman is censured, a new state senator appointed, a betting ban, and more.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, the NC Realtors, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

NC Labor Commissioner Luke Farley looks back on a remarkable two years in statewide politics, from his victorious primary upset to his decisive win in the general election and his transition from candidate to North Carolina’s Labor Commissioner.

The first term Republican talks about what it took to pull off the primary upset, how he turned that momentum into a big victory in November, and what he has learned since taking office.

But perhaps most interesting is what has happened since the election: Farley has earned praise, and even adulation, from some of the very people who opposed him. We talk about why, what he's doing differently, and how he's approaching the job now that the campaign is over.

It's a wide-ranging Labor Day conversation about politics, leadership, workers, workplace safety, the future of work in North Carolina and what it means to govern after winning a hard-fought election.

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, the NC Realtors, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

In this special edition of the podcast, former Gov. Pat McCrory and Andrew Dunn, author of The Change Agent, sit for an expansive conversation about the state's 74th governor, his political career, including his time as governor, and the controversies that defined his tenure.

And in this conversation, Pat McCrory is an open book.  (By the way, use this link to order your copy of the The Change Agent: Pat McCrory's Rise, Reckoning and Legacy.)

McCrory reflects candidly on his rise from Charlotte mayor to North Carolina governor, the decisions that shaped his administration, the battles that defined his time in office, and what he thinks people get right and wrong about his political legacy.

Dunn brings the perspective of a journalist and political observer who spent hundreds of hours researching McCrory’s life and career, talked to friends and foe, and tells the story of one of the most complex political figures in recent state history.

It’s a wide-ranging conversation about politics, leadership, power, mistakes, successes and the lessons that come from being at the center of North Carolina politics.

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, the NC Realtors, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

Pat Newton is Chair of the North Carolina Forward Party and he talks about the upstart party’s strategy for the 2026 election cycle and its very different approach to breaking into North Carolina politics.

Newton explains the thinking behind that strategy, what the Forward Party hopes to accomplish by working within the existing two-party system, and why the party believes it can have an impact without appearing on the ballot itself.  The conversation also looks ahead to 2028, when the Forward Party hopes to secure full ballot access in North Carolina. 

Skye and Brian also unpack the week, a new nominee for Rep. Jennifer Balkcom's House seat, vetoes, polling, and office repairs now that session is over.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, the NC Realtors, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

So much has changed for Rep. Terry Brown since our visit with him in 2021 on the podcast.  The Charlotte Democrat is a father and he's a House Whip.   We get an inside scoop on all that.  

Rep. Brown also has a message for many lobbyists (including us), who he thinks are getting it wrong when it comes to engaging House Democrats. In this wide-ranging conversation, Rep. Brown talks about what lobbyists need to understand about the caucus and how they can be more effective with Democratic members.  He also weighs in on the big tent versus small tent debate both parties are currently undergoing.  

Plus, Skye and Brian unpack the week, including a new Republican nominee in Congressional District 11, Governor signs legislation that weakens his office, Governor Stein's frustration with the Senate over a nominee, and polls, polls, polls.  Yes, we have three of them.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, the NC Realtors, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.

As the General Assembly heads into its extended break until November, one of the state's leading political scientists joins us to put the short session into a broader perspective.  

Dr. Chris Cooper of Western Carolina University, a listener favorite, returns to argue that Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger's final biennium as the chamber's leader cast a long shadow over this year's short session. We explore the emerging race to replace Sen. Berger in leadership, the continued erosion of gubernatorial power in North Carolina, the state budget, and the legislation that shaped the session's final weeks.

Dr. Cooper also looks ahead to the high-stakes 2026 elections and what they could mean for the future balance of power in Raleigh.

Skye and Brian also break down the biggest political developments from the past week, including the General Assembly's adjournment, the latest legislative action (an inaction), and Brian turns 55.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Pork Council, the NC Realtors, Heal the System NC, and the NC Healthcare Association.