WUNC Politics
417 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 days ago - ★★★★★ - 36 ratingsThe 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.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Mark Walker Is First Out Of The 2022 Senate Gate
December 04, 2020 23:22 - 13 minutes - 17.9 MBRepublican Congressman Mark Walker announced this week that he will vie for an open North Carolina Senate seat. Meanwhile this week in state politics, a federal appellate court ruled in favor of a photo voter ID requirement. And, the closest statewide race in North Carolina history isn't over quite yet.
Representing The 6th: Kathy Manning Is Gearing Up For The U.S. House
December 01, 2020 20:28 - 14 minutes - 20.2 MBIn the beginning of the new year, the 117th Congress will be sworn in and North Carolina will welcome three new representatives to its delegation. Congresswoman-elect Kathy Manning will be among them, representing the state’s 6th District that encompasses most of the Triad. She'll be the first woman to represent that district and North Carolina's first Jewish congresswoman.
Chasing Conventions, Candidates And The Truth
November 24, 2020 23:19 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBJim Morrill started covering politics during the Reagan administration. After reporting on dozens of elections, 11 national conventions and countless elected officials, the longtime Charlotte Observer journalist is retiring.
Lara Trump Eyes NC Senate Run In 2022
November 20, 2020 20:54 - 15 minutes - 21.5 MBElection Day month rolls on with a recount in the North Carolina Chief Justice Supreme Court contest. A crowded field of candidates is forming for a vacant U.S. Senate seat. In our latest review of North Carolina politics, Aisha Dew and Becki Gray discuss those races, the likelihood Republicans will decriminalize marijuana, and what they're appreciative for this November.
The Split Ticket: When Voters Go Outside The Party Lines
November 17, 2020 22:11 - 21 minutes - 30 MBIn the last 40 years, North Carolina has voted for a president and governor from separate parties in seven out of 11 elections. Each time the state has split the vote, North Carolinians have elected a Republican president and a Democratic governor. The 2020 election produced the same result, as thousands of people voted for President Donald Trump and Governor Roy Cooper.
All North Carolina's Votes Are Now In
November 13, 2020 23:38 - 19 minutes - 8.88 MBCounty elections boards have finalized their official vote tallies. Still, on Friday the race to be chief justice of the state Supreme Court looked almost certainly headed for a recount.
A Ticket Splitting Status Quo
November 10, 2020 21:57 - 20 minutes - 9.27 MBFor all the hundreds of millions of dollars that were spent in North Carolina during the 2020 election cycle, not all that much changed. The GOP will maintain legislative majorities, and likely again spar with a Democratic Governor. Conservatives were able to add seats on the state courts, which may benefit them when it comes time for the next round of redistricting. On this latest episode of the WUNC Politics Podcast Meredith College Political Science Professor David McLennan and A...
What A Year This Week Was
November 06, 2020 23:28 - 19 minutes - 27.4 MBElection Day brought little closure for our nation or our state in 2020.
Election Recap: Democratic Gov. Cooper Wins On A Generally Good Night For The NCGOP
November 04, 2020 07:54 - 19 minutes - 1.14 KBThe race for president may still be too close to call in North Carolina, nevertheless Election Day did provide conclusions for a number of key races in the state. Republicans are set to maintain control of both chambers of the General Assembly while the Democratic governor keeps his office. On this episode of the Politics Podcast, host Jeff Tiberii talks with WUNC politics reporter Rusty Jacobs about the latest results and how the voting transpired.
From 'Tested': The Anti-Bias Classroom
November 03, 2020 11:00 - 19 minutes - 26.2 MBVirtual learning has changed almost everything about the classroom experience in North Carolina, but implicit racial biases remain as a hindrance to students' education. Microaggressions and discriminatory behavior from teachers and other classmates can have detrimental effects on students of color, especially young children in preschool.
Predictions For A Quiet Election Day In North Carolina With Races Too Close To Call
October 30, 2020 22:24 - 18 minutes - 8.29 MBAt least 4 million North Carolina voters won't be at the polls next Tuesday because they've already cast their ballots. And the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week officials can keep counting mail-in ballots for nine days after Election Day.
It's The Voters' Turn
October 27, 2020 23:05 - 31 minutes - 1.83 KBOne week to go before Election Day 2020 and the votes continue to pour in by the millions. Behind every ballot cast is a voter wielding the pen and filling in the bubbles for who they want to see in office. On this episode of the Politics Podcast, we hear from a handful of voters across the battleground state of North Carolina about what’s on their minds. Host Jeff Tiberii also talks with WUNC politics reporter Rusty Jacobs about Granville County and why it's a region to keep a close eye on t...
Closing In On Election Day
October 23, 2020 21:46 - 16 minutes - 22.7 MBWith less than two weeks until November 3, more than two million people have already voted. In our review of the week in state politics, Democratic strategist Aisha Dew and former chair of the North Carolina Federation of Young Republicans Clark Riemer discuss when they expect to have results and how they’re feeling about the races. Plus, what to make – if anything – about the Governor’s comment on Cal Cunningham.
A Return To Record-Setting Campaign Spending
October 20, 2020 22:11 - 21 minutes - 1.27 KBNorth Carolina is again home to the most expensive U.S. Senate race in the nation's history. During this 2020 election cycle, billions of dollars will flow through the somewhat mysterious apparatus of campaign finance. On this episode of the WUNC Politics Podcast, Jeff Tiberii speaks about the financial landscape with Anna Beavon Gravely of the NC Free Enterprise Foundation , journalist Jeremy Borden , who is also a volunteer leader with the Open Raleigh Brigade of Code for America. and UNC-C...
Voters Surge, Along With Virus
October 16, 2020 22:31 - 16 minutes - 7.73 MBThis week: North Carolina voters turned out in record numbers for the start of in-person early voting. Lines were made longer by social distancing — the polls are open as cases of COVID-19 across the state are surging.
Voters Surge, Along With Virus
October 16, 2020 22:31 - 16 minutesThis week: North Carolina voters turned out in record numbers for the start of in-person early voting. Lines were made longer by social distancing — the polls are open as cases of COVID-19 across the state are surging.
Political Polling: The Power Of A Snapshot In Time
October 13, 2020 19:57 - 19 minutes - 1.13 KBPolitical polling isn’t a crystal ball into election outcomes this November, but it is a useful tool to help us understand where certain groups of voters stand in a given point in time. On this episode of the Politics Podcast, host Jeff Tiberii examines what makes a good poll, and what might make a survey less reliable. Courtney Kennedy, director of survey research at the Pew Research Center , provides a behind-the-scenes look at political polling. And David McLennan, director of the Meredith...
Scandal and Sickness In One Of 2020's Pivotal US Senate Races
October 10, 2020 00:05 - 18 minutes - 25.6 MBThe stakes in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race were already significant – with the winner potentially signaling which party could control the chamber in the next Congress. In recent days, the campaign narratives were upended as Republican incumbent Thom Tillis tested positive for COVID and Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham acknowledged sending sexual text messages to a woman that is not his wife.
The House Battleground
October 06, 2020 23:05 - 21 minutes - 1.28 KBDemocrats seeking to transform the landscape of North Carolina politics must take back the state House. Republicans captured a majority ten years ago, expanded it to veto-proof status in 2012, and in doing so have since fundamentally shifted governance in North Carolina. The GOP is aiming to hold on to its majority this election season, and – with redistricting on the horizon – trying to maintain control for another decade. On this episode of the WUNC Politics Podcast, a conversation with sta...
What Does Trump's Positive Test Mean For The Final Month Of The Campaign In NC?
October 02, 2020 20:38 - 20 minutes - 9.25 MBThis week: Donald Trump’s positive coronavirus test has upended the already unstable political landscape. With just more than a month until Election Day, it is unclear how the president going into quarantine will affect the key battleground of North Carolina. In their review of the week in state politics, Rob Schofield and Becki Gray react to the major news, reflect on the final debate for North Carolina's U.S. Senate race, and discuss whether the State Board of Elections went too f...
The Path To A Legislative Majority Goes Through New Hanover County
September 29, 2020 22:26 - 18 minutes - 1.1 KBNorth Carolina's ballot stretches well beyond the top of the ticket. One big question looming in 2020 is whether Democrats will regain control of at least one chamber of the General Assembly, or if Republicans will hang on to the reins with their simple majority. On this episode of the Politics Podcast, host Jeff Tiberii dives into a key state senate race in New Hanover County. He speaks with the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Aaron King about the political landscape for legislativ...
North Carolina's Most (And Maybe Only) Competitive U.S. House Race
September 23, 2020 15:07 - 19 minutes - 1.12 KBNorth Carolina has 13 congressional districts, though only one race is likely to be particularly close this fall. After a judicial panel determined the old map illegally favored Republicans and the boundaries were redrawn last year, the 8th District is now a competitive outlier. On this episode of the Politics Podcast, host Jeff Tiberii talks with Chris Cronin, political science professor at Methodist University, about the impact voters in Fayetteville could have on the outcome in the 8th Dis...
Sen. Tillis Debates Cunningham, And Forest Vows To Lift Mask Mandates As Governor
September 18, 2020 22:20 - 19 minutes - 9.12 MBThis week: Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and his Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham had their first debate. The Democrat's answer to a hypothetical question about the COVID-19 vaccine caught some attention.
Lanisha Jones Will Keep Fighting For Voting Rights
September 15, 2020 23:40 - 15 minutes - 20.8 MBWhen Lanisha Jones went to vote in the 2016 election, she didn’t think she was doing anything wrong. She thought she was simply exercising her right to vote. But in 2019, the district attorney in Hoke County charged her with voting illegally because at the time she was still on probation from a felony conviction.
Are DeJoy's Donations Trouble For North Carolina Republicans?
September 11, 2020 23:06 - 15 minutesThis week: A Washington Post story alleged Postmaster General Louis DeJoy cajoled GOP campaign donations from employees of the logistics business he ran in Greensboro.
Are DeJoy's Donations Trouble For North Carolina Republicans?
September 11, 2020 23:06 - 15 minutes - 6.95 MBThis week: A Washington Post story alleged Postmaster General Louis DeJoy cajoled GOP campaign donations from employees of the logistics business he ran in Greensboro.
'Decoding The Dashboards,' A Tested Takeover
September 08, 2020 21:25 - 12 minutes - 17 MBAs COVID-19 cases climb at many colleges and universities in North Carolina, schools are maintaining dashboards to track and present different data and terminology. But are the dashboards enough of a resource to keep students and faculty informed about the virus on their campus?
Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0, And Trump Stops By
September 05, 2020 00:04 - 21 minutes - 10 MBThis week: State legislators gaveled in for a brief two-day session and don't intend to return until next year — that is, until after the elections are over. Their singular charge was to allocate North Carolina's remaining pandemic relief funds from the federal CARES Act.
Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0, And Trump Stops By
September 05, 2020 00:04 - 21 minutesThis week: State legislators gaveled in for a brief two-day session and don't intend to return until next year — that is, until after the elections are over. Their singular charge was to allocate North Carolina's remaining pandemic relief funds from the federal CARES Act.
Reporting On A Pandemic In A Time of Grief
August 25, 2020 21:32 - 21 minutesAs an investigative reporter for Carolina Public Press, Kate Martin has been persistently reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina for months. She’s determined to uncover the answers to questions others are not asking and hold officials accountable.
Reporting On A Pandemic In A Time of Grief
August 25, 2020 21:32 - 21 minutes - 9.76 MBAs an investigative reporter for Carolina Public Press, Kate Martin has been persistently reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina for months. She’s determined to uncover the answers to questions others are not asking and hold officials accountable.
Mail-In Ballot Requests Soar, And The Pick Is In
August 14, 2020 21:31 - 22 minutes - 10.3 MBThis week: American political history was made as Joe Biden introduced U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate in the presidential race. Her presence on the ticket might impact voter turnout in North Carolina. Then again, it might not.
Former Gov. Jim Hunt Talks COVID, The Wilmington Ten, And Jesse Helms
August 11, 2020 18:34 - 20 minutes - 28.2 MBJim Hunt was first elected Governor of North Carolina in 1976 when he was just 39 years old. He served four terms in the Executive Mansion, spanning four different decades.
Governor Criticizes Republicans; Requests For Mail-In Ballots Soar
August 07, 2020 20:47 - 14 minutes - 6.8 MBThis week: Governor Cooper criticizes President Trump and Lt. Governor Forest over their pandemic responses. And close to 150,000 voters have requested absentee ballots for the November election. This week a federal judge ruled that a witness requirement will remain in place, however, voters will have a chance to correct administrative errors on their ballots. Becki Gray and Rob Schofield discuss Cooper's criticisms, the latest in mail-in balloting, as well as a troubling video rele...
Hello Mr. President, Goodbye State Fair
July 31, 2020 20:55 - 15 minutes - 7.08 MBThis week: North Carolina played host to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Meanwhile, David Lewis, a powerful state legislator, will not be on the ballot, as previously expected. And with the State Fair canceled for the first time since the second World War, Becki Gray and Rob Schofield ponder whether college athletics can realistically take place this fall.
The First Nine Weeks: A Rural Superintendent Talks Remote Education
July 28, 2020 20:17 - 21 minutes - 9.92 MBAnthony Jackson has been an educator for more than 30 years, but there's never been a school year that’s begun like this one.
Reversing Course: From Face Coverings To Conventions
July 24, 2020 21:50 - 20 minutes - 28.4 MBThis week in state politics: The effects of the pandemic continue to be felt in wide and various ways. From touchscreen voting machines to an annual bar exam, there are questions about risk and necessity.
No Way Around It: Gov. Cooper Makes The Inevitable Choice On Schools
July 17, 2020 23:09 - 17 minutes - 8.21 MBThis week in state politics: More remote learning became a reality this week when Gov. Roy Cooper announced North Carolina public schools will not return like normal next month as COVID-19 cases have been on the rise.
This Progressive Organizer Says Black Women Can Change The Political Paradigm
July 15, 2020 11:08 - 22 minutes - 10.2 MBAisha Dew first volunteered on a political campaign 30 years ago, when she was a young girl. In 2016, she was leading Bernie Sanders' campaign in North Carolina. Today, she works with Higher Heights, seeking to mobilize Black women and increase their participation – and representation – in politics.
This Progressive Organizer Says Black Women Can Change The Political Paradigm
July 15, 2020 11:08 - 22 minutesAisha Dew first volunteered on a political campaign 30 years ago, when she was a young girl. In 2016, she was leading Bernie Sanders' campaign in North Carolina. Today, she works with Higher Heights, seeking to mobilize Black women and increase their participation – and representation – in politics.
The Reopening Fight Wages On
July 10, 2020 22:44 - 26 minutes - 12.2 MBThis week in state politics: North Carolina lawmakers failed to override the governor's vetoes so that gyms and skating rinks that were shutdown because of the pandemic could reopen. But in court, a group of bowling alleys won their argument that they're no riskier than resturants operating at limited capacity.
This School Choice Isn’t Simple: No Decision (Yet) On Public Schools
July 03, 2020 14:06 - 15 minutes - 21.9 MBThis Week In State Politics: the Governor delayed a decision about whether public schools would open in the fall.
Rep. Deb 'I Will Not Yield' Butler On Redistricting, Racism, And Pride
June 30, 2020 22:38 - 24 minutes - 11 MBDemocratic state Rep. Deb Butler made national headlines last September when, following a surprise and controversial veto override vote, she grabbed a microphone and lit into Republican House Speaker Tim Moore.
Monuments Come Down, Mask Requirement Goes Up, And Legislators Leave Town
June 26, 2020 22:37 - 17 minutes - 8.01 MBAnother bustling week in North Carolina politics included the toppling of Confederate monuments in the state capitol and elsewhere, the governor's decision to mandate face coverings statewide because of the coronavirus, and an after-hours marathon session at the General Assembly.
A Constitutional Case For Removing Confederate Monuments, And A Plug For Masks
June 19, 2020 22:15 - 17 minutes - 8.22 MBNorth Carolina lawmakers this week approved a plan to provide teachers with a one-time bonus. Meanwhile temperature checks at the General Assembly building were halted — albeit briefly — as the capital city moved to require masks to curb COVID-19. And a group of lawyers sent a letter to the governor and legislative leaders arguing Confederate monuments violate the state constitution.
Unrest In Fayetteville, Up Close
June 16, 2020 21:24 - 22 minutes - 10.4 MBJournalist Paul Woolverton was covering the protests in Fayetteville the last Saturday in May when he was attacked. He suffered a concussion, and still doesn’t remember some of what transpired outside the Cross Creek Mall.
Criminal Justice Reforms Get Resurrected In Raleigh
June 12, 2020 22:59 - 13 minutes - 6.11 MBAfter weeks of unrest over police brutality and systemic racism, North Carolina lawmakers turned attention back to two pieces of legislation: One would ease expungement of criminal records, another would let judges avoid some sentencing mandates.
A Week Of Civil Unrest
June 05, 2020 22:49 - 19 minutesAs protests took place across North Carolina and the nation, calling for justice after the killing of George Floyd, President Donald Trump called for a greater use of force.
A Week Of Civil Unrest
June 05, 2020 22:49 - 19 minutes - 9.09 MBAs protests took place across North Carolina and the nation, calling for justice after the killing of George Floyd, President Donald Trump called for a greater use of force.
Is Anything (Still) Normal About The 2020 Elections?
June 02, 2020 22:13 - 23 minutes - 10.7 MBHow does a campaign fundraise during a pandemic? If the RNC departs from Charlotte, does that give anyone a political advantage? Will we see the customary election-year rallies this fall?