WUNC Politics

By WUNC

What's WUNC Politics about?

The WUNCPolitics Podcast is a free-flowing discussion of what we're hearing in the back hallways of the General Assembly and on the campaign trail across North Carolina.

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WUNC Politics episodes:

04.12.2024
Social studies teacher from 'the Neglected Northeast' wins NC House seat
Rodney Pierce, a middle school social studies teacher from Roanoke Rapids, narrowly defeated longtime incumbent Rep. Michael Wray in last month's Democratic primary. He campaigned with what he describes as an effort to "educate" voters about Wray's record in the...
03.29.2024
Meet the ECU student who defeated a 10-term NC lawmaker
Wyatt Gable, a 21-year-old student at East Carolina University, unseated 10-term Republican Rep. George Cleveland of Jacksonville, who’s in his 80s and is one of the oldest members of the state House. Gable will face Democrat Carmen Spicer in November,...
03.06.2024
Making sense of NC's primary results
The results are in for the 2024 North Carolina primary -- and while some of the top-tier races ended up where everyone expected, there were some big surprises further down the ballot, as well as some races that won't get...
03.01.2024
Big changes for 2024 voters under new election laws
Voters in this year's primary will have a few new things to get used to. After years of legal wrangling, photo IDs are required to vote, but there's a process in place for voters who show up without one. And...
02.16.2024
NC 2024 primary: Races to watch on the Republican Party ballot
Voters in this year's Republican primary will decide whether they want Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson or one of his opponents as their nominee for governor. And elsewhere on the ballot, races for lieutenant governor, Council of State and open congressional...
02.02.2024
NC 2024 primary: Races to watch on the Democratic Party ballot
As North Carolina’s March 5 primary looms, there’s not much competition at the presidential level on the Democratic side. President Joe Biden will be the only name on the ballot here, but there are plenty of races worth watching further...
01.19.2024
Main Street NC: Murphy's struggle to quiet a cryptocurrency mine
This episode is the sixth installment in our Main Street NC series from the WUNC Politics Podcast.One of the state’s only cryptocurrency mining operations is located a few miles outside Murphy at North Carolina’s far-western tip – and it’s driving...
01.05.2024
Main Street NC: Star's quest to replace 100-year-old infrastructure
This episode is the fifth installment in our Main Street NC series from the WUNC Politics Podcast.Dozens of small towns across North Carolina are struggling to replace aging, often failing water and sewer infrastructure. The upgrades are needed to attract...
12.15.2023
Main Street NC: Lumbees help turn Robeson County toward GOP
This episode is the fourth installment in our Main Street NC series from the WUNC Politics Podcast.The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is based in the small town of Pembroke, and this corner of Robeson County has one of the...
12.01.2023
Main Street NC: Hurricane-ravaged downtown rebuilds on higher ground
This episode is the third installment in our new Main Street NC series from the WUNC Politics Podcast. When Hurricane Matthew hit North Carolina in 2016, every business on Main Street in the small Columbus County town of Fair Bluff...
11.17.2023
Main Street NC: 'Tremendous change' in the state's fastest-growing town
This is the second installment in our new Main Street NC series from the WUNC Politics Podcast. In the coming months, we’ll be visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the positives going on in their...
11.10.2023
Main Street NC: The state's fastest-shrinking towns seek a turnaround
This is the first installment in our new Main Street NC series from the WUNC Politics Podcast. In the coming months, we’ll be visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the positives going on in their...
10.27.2023
With new GOP-advantage redistricting maps, where do NC Democrats go from here?
The state legislature wrapped up votes this week on new Congressional and state House and Senate district maps. The maps make it likely that Republicans will add three or four seats in Congress, while solidifying potential veto-proof majorities in the...
10.13.2023
A slew of environmental changes become law as NC lawmakers override vetoes
Most of the focus at the state legislature this week was on the vetoed bills that change the rules for elections and take appointment powers away from the governor. But two other veto overrides got less attention – in part...
09.22.2023
A long-awaited budget bill passes and casinos strike out
A high-drama week at the North Carolina legislature brought quick action on an overdue state budget, following a decision by Republican leaders to drop a proposal to add four new casinos in rural counties. Rep. Lindsey Prather, D-Buncombe, shares her...
09.08.2023
Happy hours and Sunday ABC store runs: NC reconsiders alcohol laws
State House lawmakers advanced a 39-page rewrite of North Carolina’s alcohol laws this week. The bill includes major changes to how liquor is sold at restaurants, bars and ABC stores. To sort through the details, Lynn Minges of the N.C....
08.18.2023
Key senator talks budget delays, vetoes and eastern NC
A hectic one-day session at the legislature resulted in six veto overrides and an effort to weaken the governor’s appointment powers — but no state budget deal. To sort through the action, Senate Majority Whip Jim Perry, R-Lenoir, chats with...
08.11.2023
Top NC House Democrat criticizes legislature's slow summer
With the passage of a state budget delayed until September, Democrats in the legislature are increasingly impatient with Republican leaders’ slow progress in wrapping up this year’s long session. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, talks with WUNC Capitol Bureau...
07.28.2023
Sen. Marc Basnight's legacy building the Outer Banks
Before Phil Berger was considered the most powerful politician in the state, Democratic Sen. Marc Basnight of Manteo held the same position from 1993 to 2010. Basnight, who died in 2020, was a big advocate for the Outer Banks, and...
07.21.2023
NC House majority leader talks budget, hurricanes and the next speaker
North Carolina’s state budget is now three weeks overdue, and it’s likely August could be the earliest that a spending plan and state employee raises might be finalized. House Majority Leader John Bell, R-Wayne, joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin...
07.14.2023
Big elections changes are in the works for NC – but nothing's final yet
As the legislature starts to wind down, sweeping proposed changes to North Carolina elections are still on the table – and could have a big effect on the 2024 elections. Republicans want to shift appointment powers for the State Board...
07.07.2023
2024 NC primary election preview
Primaries for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general are already attracting plenty of candidates — and potential candidates. To help us sort through who’s running and how the campaigns will play out, as well as how much they’ll cost, WUNC...
06.30.2023
A look at bills you probably missed as NC legislature nears the finish line
It’s been a busy week at the state legislature as we enter what might be the final weeks of this year’s long session. Dozens of bills have passed the House and Senate in the past week alone, and many of...
06.23.2023
A transgender perspective on NC sports, healthcare bills
Bills restricting transgender sports participation and access to healthcare are nearing final passage at the North Carolina legislature, but none of the 170 lawmakers who will decide their fate are transgender themselves. Transgender advocate and Iraq War veteran Vivian Taylor...
06.16.2023
An NC House moderate legislator's experience in a polarized House
Rep. Garland Pierce, D-Scotland, is one of the N.C. House’s closely watched moderate Democrats this session — a veteran lawmaker who sometimes crosses party lines on key issues, something that could make a difference on veto overrides this year. Pierce...
06.09.2023
Are proposed state employee raises enough to fix government's staffing crisis?
N.C. House and Senate budget writers are negotiating how much state workers will get in raises — at a time when nearly a quarter of positions in state government are vacant. The House has proposed a 4.25% raise starting in...
06.02.2023
Can medical marijuana find support in the NC House?
N.C. House Republicans are meeting soon to discuss whether they’ll pass a Senate bill to legalize medical marijuana. Senate Rules Chairman Bill Rabon is leading the charge, hoping his personal experience using marijuana to survive colon cancer treatments can persuade...
05.19.2023
The Senate budget's salary challenge, and an abortion veto override
The N.C. Senate’s budget is approved, setting up negotiations with the House over tax cuts and how much state employees will get in their paychecks. But the budget debate was overshadowed by this week’s veto override on new abortion restrictions....
05.12.2023
Tackling NC's mental health challenges with $1 billion
State legislators are considering how to spend about $1 billion in federal funding to address mental health care. Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, co-chairs health committees in the Senate and talks with WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell about his ideas...
05.05.2023
Abortion, transgender restrictions dominate a busy crossover week at NC legislature
North Carolina’s legislature passed more than 100 different bills this week as it rushed to reach a “crossover” deadline. The agenda included several controversial pieces of conservative social legislation: A ban on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, a ban...
04.28.2023
With shrinking revenues, NC lawmakers seek new ways to pay for transportation
A shift to electric and fuel-efficient vehicles has left North Carolina with a shortage of revenue to pay for roads and other transportation needs — even as the state’s population booms and traffic gets worse. WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin...
04.21.2023
House speaker talks abortion, marijuana – and a trip to Ukraine
N.C. House Republicans are getting close to a consensus on how they’ll approach new abortion restrictions, medical marijuana legislation and private school vouchers. Speaker Tim Moore chats with WUNC’s Colin Campbell about where things stand and what to expect in...
04.14.2023
Asian American legislators will form new AAPI caucus
Rep. Maria Cervania, D-Wake, is one of the first two Asian American women to be elected to the North Carolina legislature. She talks with WUNC’s Colin Campbell about why that representation is important, and why she’s creating a new Asian...
04.07.2023
Key NC House leader talks budget, party switch, and gambling
Days after Rep. Tricia Cotham cited personal attacks as part of her decision to switch to the Republican Party, state Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, shares his thoughts on today’s bitter political environment with WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell. Saine...
01.25.2023
The legislative session begins, and a podcast host says goodbye
State lawmakers are easing into their months-long session with bill filings, press conferences and committee meetings. Among the items on the horizon are budgets, abortion regulations and mental health funding. State Representative John Bell IV (R-Wayne), Senator Sydney Batch (D-Wake)...
12.16.2022
A 2022 North Carolina politics year in review
There was, a lot, that happened in state politics across the last 12 months: Redistricting fights, budget deals, a landmark Leandro ruling, a primary was delayed, Congressman Cawthorn and Governor McCrory suffered bad defeats, Roe was upended, and neither Medicaid...
12.14.2022
Where do NC Democrats go now?
After losing every statewide race during the November midterm, Democrats are licking their wounds and considering what they should do next. On this episode of The Politics Podcast, a number of progressives discuss what the party can do better, policy...
12.09.2022
Power returns, Tillis negotiates, and justices consider a new normal
This week in state politics, a major redistricting case landed before the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, power turned back on and a curfew was lifted in Moore County, where gunfire vandalism to two substations left many in the dark. Clark...
12.06.2022
Is SCOTUS holding a democracy grenade with Moore v. Harper?
On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in a case from North Carolina – Moore v. Harper. The case stems from congressional redistricting that began a year ago. At the heart of the argument from North Carolina...
12.02.2022
Legislative leadership unchanged, a major federal elections case heads to SCOTUS
This week in North Carolina politics, rank-and-file Republican state lawmakers again threw their support behind a couple of well-known leaders. On Capitol Hill, Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis voted with Democrats on the Respect for Marriage Act. And next...
11.30.2022
Is a 'Digital Civil War' on the horizon?
The landscape of a post-Roe world is still taking shape. There are many questions lingering about access to reproductive healthcare, as well as personal information and online privacy. On this episode of The Politics Podcast Matt Perault, Director of the...
11.16.2022
Unpacking the midterms results
While a red wave didn’t materialize nationally, conservatives in North Carolina found very favorable results. On this episode of The Politics Podcast, three analysts offer insight on the electorate, and where state and American politics may head next.
11.11.2022
Election impacts
North Carolina’s election results were largely favorable to Republicans on Tuesday night. On this episode of The Politics Podcast, Clark Riemer and Rob Schofield discuss what influenced the outcomes, why down-ballot candidates performed well, and where each party has room...
11.09.2022
Election Day breakdown: GOP just shy of supermajority in NC House
Republicans had a strong night in North Carolina on Tuesday, winning all seven statewide contests, and securing one supermajority in the state Senate. However, they fell one seat shy of a second veto-proof majority in the state House. On this...
11.04.2022
Governor Cooper forms commission, Election Day predictions
With just a few days before the polls close and the 2022 Midterm results are announced, Rob Schofield and Clark Riemer offer some expectations for Tuesday night and discuss what stood out in this election cycle. Meanwhile, Governor Roy Cooper...
11.02.2022
A forecast for election night
With Election Day looming, WUNC’s Jeff Tiberii talks with a mix of journalists, a political scientist, a strategist, and a leading House Republican. They offer takeaways on what race is the most important on the ballot and what they will...
10.28.2022
Early voting in full swing, SCOTUS briefs pour in
A million ballots have now been cast in North Carolina. But what, if anything, does the early turnout tell us? And in Washington, D.C., many briefs were filed in a case out of North Carolina that SCOTUS will hear in...
10.27.2022
An authentic longshot candidate
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...
10.21.2022
Political winds shift, another shooting aftermath
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...
10.19.2022
Important and obscure: North Carolina's judicial elections
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...

What's WUNC Politics about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

WUNC Politics episodes:

Social studies teacher from 'the Neglected Northeast' wins NC House seat

Meet the ECU student who defeated a 10-term NC lawmaker

Making sense of NC's primary results

Big changes for 2024 voters under new election laws

NC 2024 primary: Races to watch on the Republican Party ballot

NC 2024 primary: Races to watch on the Democratic Party ballot

Main Street NC: Murphy's struggle to quiet a cryptocurrency mine

Main Street NC: Star's quest to replace 100-year-old infrastructure

Main Street NC: Lumbees help turn Robeson County toward GOP

Main Street NC: Hurricane-ravaged downtown rebuilds on higher ground

Main Street NC: 'Tremendous change' in the state's fastest-growing town

Main Street NC: The state's fastest-shrinking towns seek a turnaround

With new GOP-advantage redistricting maps, where do NC Democrats go from here?

A slew of environmental changes become law as NC lawmakers override vetoes

A long-awaited budget bill passes and casinos strike out

Happy hours and Sunday ABC store runs: NC reconsiders alcohol laws

Key senator talks budget delays, vetoes and eastern NC

Top NC House Democrat criticizes legislature's slow summer

Sen. Marc Basnight's legacy building the Outer Banks

NC House majority leader talks budget, hurricanes and the next speaker

Big elections changes are in the works for NC – but nothing's final yet

2024 NC primary election preview

A look at bills you probably missed as NC legislature nears the finish line

A transgender perspective on NC sports, healthcare bills

An NC House moderate legislator's experience in a polarized House

Are proposed state employee raises enough to fix government's staffing crisis?

Can medical marijuana find support in the NC House?

The Senate budget's salary challenge, and an abortion veto override

Tackling NC's mental health challenges with $1 billion

Abortion, transgender restrictions dominate a busy crossover week at NC legislature

With shrinking revenues, NC lawmakers seek new ways to pay for transportation

House speaker talks abortion, marijuana – and a trip to Ukraine

Asian American legislators will form new AAPI caucus

Key NC House leader talks budget, party switch, and gambling

The legislative session begins, and a podcast host says goodbye

A 2022 North Carolina politics year in review

Where do NC Democrats go now?

Power returns, Tillis negotiates, and justices consider a new normal

Is SCOTUS holding a democracy grenade with Moore v. Harper?

Legislative leadership unchanged, a major federal elections case heads to SCOTUS

Is a 'Digital Civil War' on the horizon?

Unpacking the midterms results

Election impacts

Election Day breakdown: GOP just shy of supermajority in NC House

Governor Cooper forms commission, Election Day predictions

A forecast for election night

Early voting in full swing, SCOTUS briefs pour in

An authentic longshot candidate

Political winds shift, another shooting aftermath

Important and obscure: North Carolina's judicial elections