Courtney Geels is running for the U.S. House of Representatives this midterm. Her chances of victory are exceedingly slim, yet the Republican is still campaigning with a purpose, hoping to pull off an upset of the century. On this episode of The Politics Podcast, Geels discusses why she decided to run for Congress, what she has learned, and some of the issues most important to her.

This week, many continued to grieve following a horrific act in northeast Raleigh. With one-stop early voting underway, the proverbial political winds might have shifted. And, new details in the state’s incentives package that lured Apple to RTP. Rob Schofield and Clark Riemer discuss those stories in their review of the week in state politics.

Voters will decide two state Supreme Court races this midterm, with the results potentially shifting partisan control of the bench. The fact that North Carolina even has partisan judicial elections is uncommon. On this episode of The Politics Podcast, Michael Crowell discusses some of the pitfalls for how our state handles judicial elections, and why these races are so important.

A new report details political meddling as part of the search for a new chancellor at UNC Wilmington. Meanwhile, there are concerning vacancy rates at one state agency. And is there any possible replacement for political debates? Clark Riemer and Rob Schofield discuss all this in our weekly review of North Carolina politics.

This fall, voters in Wake County will decide whether to approve three bonds – totaling more than $1 billion – to support new public schools, major improvements to community college infrastructure, and an improvement to several Raleigh city parks. WUNC reporter Jason deBruyn details the ballot questions, and forecasts their chances of earning approval.

Cheri Beasley and Ted Budd meet Friday night for their only scheduled debate. The U.S. Senate hopefuls will try to land a memorable moment while avoiding any sort of gaff. Meanwhile, new reports detail the lack of success within two education initiatives. In our weekly discussion, Rob Schofield and Clark Riemer review some of the leading stories of the week.

Republicans already hold comfortable majorities in the state House. This fall, conservatives hope to expand their margins and avoid the threat of gubernatorial vetoes. With several Democrats playing defense, some races have turned heated, and increasingly expensive. On this episode of The Politics Podcast, Jeff Tiberii lays out the battleground districts in the House.

With absentee voting underway and weeks until early voting begins, campaign advertisements are in full swing. In their weekly review of state politics, Clark Riemer and Rob Schofield discuss photoshopping, using death for political gain, and how they are handling the endless solicitations this election cycle.

The most important battle on the North Carolina ballot this November is not an open U.S. Senate Seat, or even control of the state Supreme Court. But rather, a fight for supermajorities in the North Carolina General Assembly. In the state Senate, Republicans need to net two seats in order to achieve a veto-proof majority. On this episode of WUNC’s Politics Podcast, Jeff Tiberii discusses some of the legislative battleground districts.

Rockingham County Republican Phil Berger is the most influential elected official in North Carolina politics. He has presided over the state Senate since 2011 and overseen a historic shift in state government. Berger returns to The Politics Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation, including election strategy, the judiciary, and what could be done to reduce the political temperature in our country.