Longleaf Politics Podcast

Rep. Mike Schietzelt has four boys at home, and he jokes that if he doesn’t keep them fed, they’ll start eating the drywall.

But groceries are getting expensive, and even his family’s kitchen counter is looking a little bare these days.

It’s a problem he’s hearing about constantly as he knocks on doors in northern Wake County. Voters are worried about the cost of living, property taxes and whether new data centers will send their power bills through the roof.

I sat down with Schietzelt for the latest Longleaf Politics podcast to talk about what state lawmakers can actually do about these problems, and whether Republicans have done enough.

Schietzelt doesn’t let Washington off the hook. He’s critical of President Trump’s tariffs and the economic fallout from the war in the Middle East, both of which he believes have made life harder for families already struggling with higher prices.

But he also makes a pretty good case for what Republicans have accomplished in Raleigh. We talked about the gas tax, electricity costs and his successful push to keep tolls off Capitol Boulevard.

There’s a lot more to Schietzelt than policy, though.

He grew up poor, raised by a single father who worked two jobs. A donated trumpet helped change the course of his life, eventually leading him to college, a career performing on cruise ships and service in the Marine Corps. He never expected to end up in politics.

And despite everything he’s seen during his first term in the General Assembly, he’s still remarkably optimistic about what government can accomplish.

“You have to be practical,” he told me. “But you can’t let practicality morph into cynicism.”

We covered a lot of ground in this conversation, from his father’s extraordinary military service to what he’s learned about getting things done in Raleigh and why he wants another two years representing northern Wake County.

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State Rep. Timothy Reeder joins the Longleaf Politics Podcast to talk about House Bill 1104 and North Carolina’s broken intersection of mental health, criminal justice and public safety.

Reeder is an emergency room doctor from Greenville and chairs the House Committee on Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety. In this conversation, he explains why North Carolina’s mental health system is struggling, why jails are often left managing problems they were never designed to handle, and how lawmakers are trying to intervene earlier.

We discuss:

Why North Carolina’s mental health system is under strain

How untreated mental illness shows up in jails and courts

What House Bill 1104 would change

Why telehealth evaluations inside jails could improve safety

The difference between mental health evaluations and competency to stand trial

How outpatient assisted treatment works

Why the bill extends some treatment windows from 90 to 180 days

The public safety concerns raised after the killing of Irina Zarutska

Why this bill is a serious first step, not a full fix

Key takeaway:North Carolina’s criminal justice system is catching people the mental health system already missed. HB 1104 does not solve the whole problem, but it pushes the state toward earlier evaluation, more consistent treatment and better public safety.

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On today’s Longleaf Politics Podcast, I sat down with former Congressman Bob Inglis — a Duke grad, a six-term Republican from South Carolina, and now the head of RepublicEN, which bills itself as a conservative answer on climate.

Climate is one of those topics where conservatives hear “the world is ending” and tune out. Inglis says that’s a mistake — not because we’re all doomed, but because conservatives should be comfortable talking about risk and insurance policies.

He argues we’re in the middle of an “electrification revolution,” and whether you love EVs or hate them, global competition is pushing the world in that direction.

Where we started to diverge is on the solution. RepublicEN is backing a carbon tax, where fossil fuel producers pay for the emissions they put into the atmosphere.

In one sense, it makes sense. Price in the externalities and the market will adjust. I’m still not sure this will work. But it’s exactly the kind of specific, concrete proposal Republicans almost never hear from their own side on climate anymore, which is why this part of the conversation is worth your time.

If you’ve ever wanted to hear a conservative make a forward-looking case on climate without the usual theatrics, this is the conversation.

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In this conversation, Addul Ali, a Republican candidate for the 12th Congressional District, discusses his motivations for running in a predominantly blue district, the importance of engaging with unaffiliated voters, and the need for common ground on key issues such as safety, affordability, and education. He also addresses fundraising strategies and the lessons learned from his previous campaign, emphasizing the significance of bipartisanship in achieving results for the community.

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Andrew Dunn talks with Jack Codiga about why he’s running as a Republican in the bluest congressional seat in North Carolina, what it means to run a principles-first campaign, and why Codiga is centering his message on monetary policy and housing affordability in Charlotte.

About the guest

Jack Codiga is a Charlotte-area resident (coming up on five years) who works in commercial real estate and mortgage banking, and is running for Congress in NC-12.

What we cover

Why it’s still valuable for Republicans to compete in deep-blue districts like Charlotte’s NC-12

“Winning” vs. keeping your convictions intact — and why Codiga rejects veiling beliefs to chase outcomes

Politics as the “marketplace of ideas,” and a campaign built around principles (including a Christian moral frame)

Why monetary policy is (in Codiga's view) misunderstood — and how it connects to housing affordability

The “Buckley rule” and how candidates think about fit vs. persuasion

Subsidies vs. root causes (health care example)

A quick discussion of gold: investment vs. “money,” and the role of a gold standard conversation

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 — Why winning isn’t the ultimate goal (Codiga's premise)

00:38 — Intro: why cover a non-competitive race; NC-12 is the “safest Democratic seat”

02:04 — Guest background (Charlotte, real estate / mortgage banking)

02:47 — Why run anyway? “Marketplace of ideas,” and focusing on systemic issues like money

05:03 — Principles-first politics and faith as the moral foundation

06:35 — The “Buckley rule” and what districts can handle

07:01 — “Veiling” beliefs and losing the plot

07:13 — Why monetary policy is central to Codiga's platform

08:35 — Unconstrained money creation → distortions → housing unaffordability

09:21 — Health care, “make it free,” and the subsidy reflex

12:38 — Gold standard tradeoffs; gold as “money”

13:49 — Wrap-up + primary ballot note

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.longleafpol.com/subscribe

In the first episode of the rebooted Longleaf Politics Podcast, I have a conversation with Mitch Kokai, Senior Political Analyst at the John Locke Foundation, about the current political landscape in North Carolina, focusing on separation of powers lawsuits, recent court rulings, the rise of unaffiliated voters, and the competitive dynamics of the 11th congressional district. Kokai provides insights into how these factors are shaping the state's political future and the implications for both major parties.

Keywords

North Carolina politics, Mitch Kokai, separation of powers, political analysis, unaffiliated voters, council of state, court rulings, political landscape, elections, congressional districts

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If you go by the media coverage of next year’s U.S. Senate race in North Carolina, you’d probably forget that there’s even a primary race. Yes, President Donald Trump has endorsed former national GOP chairman Michael Whatley for the seat — but attorney and author Don Brown is still in the race vying for the Republican nomination.

I caught up with him this week to talk about the state of the race, his top issues, and what comes next. You can watch the full interview on my YouTube channel here, or check out the highlights above.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.longleafpol.com/subscribe

We’re taking a week off from the regular newsletter — I’m spending a few days with family, recharging a bit, and doing my best to stay off X. So we’ll miss you this Monday.

But I didn’t want to let the Fourth of July pass without saying something.

We talk a lot about freedom in this country, especially on a day like today. But I think we’ve lost track of what that really means. Somewhere along the way, we’ve started to equate freedom with free stuff — with getting something handed to us. The idea that freedom means being unburdened by responsibility or insulated from consequences.

But that’s not real freedom.

Real freedom isn’t just about being left alone. And it’s not about the government giving you things, either. It’s about being free to build something — a life, a family, a business — and to do it without having to ask permission.

And even more than that, freedom is for something. It’s for service, for responsibility, for becoming the people and the communities we’re meant to be.

So I made this short video. It’s not long — just a minute or so — but I hope it helps us remember what this day is really about.

Hope you enjoy — and happy Independence Day.

Quick hits

* Mark Robinson is back in the spotlight — and just as defiant as ever. But if Robinson hasn’t learned anything from 2024, the question is: Has the Republican Party? With a U.S. Senate primary on deck, the stakes are high. Read my full column on this here.

* North Carolina’s next U.S. Senate primary won’t be a wide-open brawl. It’ll be a coronation. Just like in 2022, Donald Trump’s endorsement will clear the field — and right now, U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson checks every box. In another column, I break down who’s in the mix, who’s bluffing, and who actually fits Trump’s formula. Read it here.

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That’s all for this week. See you soon.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.longleafpol.com/subscribe