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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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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 resolved until a runoff election in May. WUNC's Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell sorts through the results in a late-night conversation with host Will Michaels, then joins other panelists on "Due South" with host Jeff Tiberii to discuss the takeaways and look ahead toward the general election.
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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 voters looking to use mail-in absentee ballots need to be aware of earlier deadlines. WUNC's voting and election integrity reporter, Rusty Jacobs, joins Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to explain what voters need to know as they participate in a big election year.
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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 seats have drawn a large number of Republican candidates. Candidates spending their personal fortunes on TV ads could have an impact on who wins.To sort through all the races to watch on the GOP side, WUNC spoke with N.C. Rep. Erin Paré, R-Wake, and Anna Beavon Gravely, a political analyst and former executive director of NC FREE. Paré also discusses her decision to switch races from Congress to N.C. House because of the likely cost of running in a crowded congressional primary.
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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 down the Democratic Party ballot for governor, Council of State and legislative seats. Will low turnout lead to some surprise results? Will votes in support of Republican legislation cost several incumbent Democrats their seats in the state House and Senate?To sort through the Democratic primary ballot, WUNC spoke with Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange, and Kimberly Reynolds, former executive director of North Carolina Democratic Party and a partner in the consulting firm Maven Strategies.
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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 the neighbors crazy. Even at a house a mile away, the sound can make it seem like you're next to a busy freeway. It comes from massive computer servers that are running the complex computations needed to power cryptocurrency. The out-of-state companies were drawn here by cheap electricity and a lack of zoning restrictions, forcing the leaders of Cherokee County to balance their conservative love of unfettered property rights with the need to address a modern nuisance. To learn more about how Murphy and Cherokee County are charting a future that brings more tourists while keeping out noisy cryptomines, WUNC spoke with County Commissioner Ben Adams.
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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 industry and residents back to places where textile and manufacturing plants have closed down. The tiny town of Star in Montgomery County, near Asheboro, is leading the way in addressing the problem -- securing more than $35 million in state and federal funds to replace water lines that break often as well as its water tower and sewer treatment plant. To hear more about Star's plans for what its leaders hope will be a bright future, powered in part by an arts complex, WUNC spoke with Star Mayor Bill Hudson and Town Commissioner Ray Mims.
Customer Reviews
An excellent deep dive into NC politics
The biweekly format with a one-on-one interview and a panel discussion is a welcome development. I cannot, however, recommend playing a drinking game around Becki Gray’s use of “I think we need to be really careful...” to deflect from some conservative controversy or scandal. You’ll be blotto well before the pod ends.
UPDATE: Since I’m an unaffiliated moderate squish, let me be balanced and offer a comment on the left-wing commentator. Would it be possible to get a little variety, like the pod does with the conservative participants? I don’t really have a philosophical problem with petulant catastrophizing, but listening to Schofield do it week in, week out gets a little old. Let’s get some new whiners, I say! Still a weekly must-listen and a 5-star pod.
After the change of locus from politics, why this title?
I was an avid listener in the past but after the previous host left it is meaningless. Inside the legislature journalism seems extinct now. Unfollowing, sadly.
Cream of the Crop
This is easily one of the best, most comprehensive podcasts covering North Carolina politics. I would know, I’ve tried them all. Come for informed viewpoints, quality coverage, and (importantly when compared to a few other NC pol pods) competent production. Five stars for Jeff, the guests, and the whole crew. Thank you for providing this resource.