Political science professors Chris Cooper (Western Carolina University) and Michael Bitzer (Catawba College) break down the emerging landscape of 2026, from the Trump factor and how it’s still rearranging political gravity, to affordability as a defining issue for voters.  

The professors connect national dynamics to North Carolina’s uniquely complicated terrain, including the U.S. Senate race, Congressional Districts 1 and 11, and legislative primaries (Page v Berger, Hager v Johnson, Sadler v Cunningham, and Wray v Pierce).     

Skye and Brian also unpack a social media dustup over the children’s hospital, new polling, Buckout fundraising, and the epic winter storm prediction for North Carolina.