WUNC Politics

WUNC
  • 4.7 (74)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

The WUNC Politics 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. Sign up for our free, weekly WUNC Politics Newsletter here.

  1. 6D AGO

    Gov. Josh Stein talks Helene, budget, Medicaid and more

    Gov.Josh Stein is wrapping up his first year in office. It’s been a year marked by hurricane recovery efforts in Western North Carolina and fights with the legislature over taxes, Medicaid and more in Raleigh. He joined WUNC's Colin Campbell to discuss the big issues of 2025 and what’s ahead next year, from the primary to property taxes

    13 min

  2. DEC 5

    Key races to watch as 2026 election filings get started

    The 2026 campaign season has officially kicked off (although many campaigns have been going for months now) with the start of candidate filing.  With the primary less than three months away, we're digging into the races worth watching, from Congress to legislature to the Wake County district attorney. Two political reporters, Adam Wagner of the NC Newsroom and Dawn Vaughan of The News & Observer, join WUNC's Colin Campbell for the conversation.

    28 min

  3. NOV 21

    What's the future of NC's news media amid cutbacks?

    Local news is a tough business these days, with journalists routinely laid off and small-town newspapers closing up shop. But North Carolina’s journalism scene does have success stories.  WUNC's Colin Campbell spoke with the leaders of two locally owned media companies that are seeing growth. David Woronoff owns The Pilot, a thriving newspaper in Southern Pines, and magazines including Business North Carolina and Walter. Kyle Villemain started The Assembly in 2021, and it’s since grown to a staff of 43 people producing in-depth stories on all things North Carolina. They discussed the business models that can work to support journalism and how they're approaching underserved communities.

    41 min

  4. NOV 7

    The legacy of former Gov. Jim Hunt

    At age 88, former Gov. Jim Hunt continues to be a prominent figure in state politics, but the state’s growth means that many North Carolinians weren’t around during his record 16 years in office. So to better understand what he accomplished and what lessons his political career offers for today’s landscape in state politics, WUNC's Colin Campbell spoke with longtime Hunt aide and biographer Gary Pearce. Pearce says Hunt's powers of persuasion helped him expand the influence of the governor's office and improve the state's education system.

    31 min

  5. OCT 24

    A closer look at NC's new Congressional districts

    North Carolina no longer has any particularly competitive Congressional districts, thanks to the new map passed this week at President Donald Trump’s request. To get a better sense for how the new districts will play out in the courts and in next year’s midterm landscape, WUNC's Colin Campbell spoke with Western Carolina University political scientist Chris Cooper. Cooper says odds aren't favorable for Democrats to pull off an upset victory in any of the GOP-leaning districts.

    27 min

  6. OCT 10

    NC House Freedom Caucus wins on shrimp, guns

    The 33-member N.C. House Freedom Caucus notched some major policy victories this year, defeating a proposal from Senate leaders to ban shrimp trawling while getting a gun-rights bill to the governor’s desk. WUNC's Colin Campbell spoke with the Freedom Caucus’ chairman, Rep. Keith Kidwell, R-Beaufort, to find out how the legislative process unfolded. Kidwell also weighed in on the ongoing budget stalemate, the Freedom Caucus' role in next year's legislative elections, and his work on the new House Select Committee on Government Efficiency.

    30 min

  7. SEP 22

    Why Medicaid is facing big funding cuts in NC

    North Carolina’s Medicaid system is grappling with funding shortfalls, both from the state budget and from the Congressional megabill. The state Department of Health and Human Services says it will reduce provider reimbursement rates and cut coverage for popular weight-loss drugs if state lawmakers don’t approve additional funding. And beyond that issue, more funding will be needed in the future to handle new Medicaid work requirements that were part of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill. That bill also includes potential cuts to the program known as food stamps. WUNC's Colin Campbell sorts through the details with N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. Sangvai also provided an update on the availability of COVID-19 vaccines this fall.

    23 min

  8. SEP 12

    New Progressive Caucus seeks a stronger voice on the left

    The state’s most conservative lawmakers have for years formed the House Freedom Caucus, and now there’s a similar caucus for legislators on the left. The House Progressive Caucus formed this year and has about a dozen members, as well as a political action committee that will be involved in legislative elections next year. Two caucus members, Reps. Marcia Morey of Durham and Pricey Harrison of Greensboro, spoke with WUNC's Colin Campbell about the caucus' efforts to make a difference in a legislature dominated by Republicans.  Note: This episode was recorded prior to the news of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's death in a Utah shooting.

    25 min
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4.7
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About

The WUNC Politics 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. Sign up for our free, weekly WUNC Politics Newsletter here.

Information

  • Channel
    WUNC
  • Creator
    WUNC
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodes
    430
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © WUNC
  • Show Website
    WUNC Politics

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