News
New polls indicate Cooper still leads Whatley in Senate race
Polling shows Democrat former Gov. Roy Cooper maintains double digit lead ahead of Republican Michael Whatley among likely voters in US Senate race.
News
Trump-linked PAC targets NC Senate, congressional races
Trump-linked super PAC has reserved $5 million in NC’s Senate race and $310,000 in NC-11 as the president prepares to visit Gastonia.
News
See how NC campuses fared in FIRE’s 2027 College Free Speech Rankings
North Carolina colleges scored above the national average for campus free speech in The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s (FIRE) 2026 College Free-Speech Rankings FIRE gave North Carolina an average score of 70 out of 100, up 1.1 points from 2025. Nationally, colleges received an average grade of D-minus. FIRE’s survey found that in...
News
Key NC Republican leaders in Dallas for RNC convention
Republican Senate Candidate Whatley speaks at RNC convention, Council of State members in attendance.
News
Forest deal targets Helene wildfire risk
Officials said the money will help remove hazardous fuels, address invasive species, improve access for firefighters, and accelerate recovery across forests damaged by the September 2024 storm.
News
DAs, State Bar prez defend NC law banning legal advice from paralegals
Five North Carolina district attorneys and the president of the State Bar are defending the state law that bans paralegals from offering legal advice. The 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals is considering a First Amendment challenge to the law.
Opinion
Opinion
The day time froze and the world seemed to stop turning
We were headed to the airport that day to fly to Washington for meetings. But before we departed, I had a few errands to run. Our house/office was on 2nd St. SE — our front door faced the Library of Congress annex. We were two short blocks from the US Capitol, in the heart of...
Opinion
Against enemies foreign and domestic
These two anniversaries will now forever be linked in a grim two-day remembrance. But it seems appropriate that they be remembered together.
Opinion
Where Were You?
Wherever you were on Sept. 11, 2001, take a minute and go back there with me. Remember where you were. Remember who you were with. Remember what you felt when you realized the world had changed and there was no going back.
Opinion
Federalist 36: Concerning the general power of taxation, cont…
The method of laying and collecting this species of taxes in each State can, in all its parts, be adopted and employed by the federal government.
Elections
News
2024 in review: A year of civic engagement in NC
The year 2024 was marked by significant developments across politics, the economy, education, and energy in North Carolina. As one of the nation’s most dynamic and closely watched states, it played a pivotal role in shaping regional and national conversations.
News
Trump nominates Bishop to be deputy director for budget at OMB
"Dan has been a tireless fighter for our MAGA Movement in the House of Representatives on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees," Trump said in a press release issued Tuesday night. "Dan will implement my cost-cutting and deregulatory agenda across all Agencies, and root out the Weaponized Deep State."
News
Democrats want federal court to address GOP challenge of 60,000 NC ballots
The North Carolina Democratic Party filed a lawsuit Friday to ensure challenges of 60,000 ballots in the state's latest election are addressed in federal court. Republicans filed the challenges with the State Board of Elections. The challenges could affect the outcome of the state Supreme Court race between Democrat Allison Riggs and Jefferson Griffin, along with a handful of state legislative contests.
News
Griffin asks Appeals Court to order decision on election protests by Tuesday
Republican North Carolina Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin is turning to North Carolina’s second-highest court for an order that would force state election officials to make a final decision about Griffin’s election protests Tuesday. The State Board of Elections had planned to hear oral arguments about the protests the following day, according to a document Griffin filed Friday with the state Court of Appeals.
News
Federal judge allows challenge of 225,000 NC voter registrations to move forward
A federal judge will allow state and national Republican groups to move forward with their lawsuit challenging 225,000 voter registrations in North Carolina. An order issued Friday denied requests from the State Board of Elections and Democratic National Committee to have the case dismissed.
Videos
Video
Locke’s Jeff Moore discusses CON’s impact on NC healthcare costs
Jeff Moore, John Locke Foundation vice president of communications, discusses the negative impact of North Carolina’s certificate-of-need law on state healthcare costs. Moore offered these comments during the Aug. 28, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”
Video
The Debrief: Tackling tariffs’ costs + NC lawmakers look past November
President Donald Trump’s tariff policies have returned to the headlines because of a recent spat with Canada. Carolina Journal published this week the first in a series of articles about tariffs’ real-world impacts in North Carolina. We chat with the series author about her findings. State legislators are gone from Raleigh for the summer but...
Video
The Debrief: Summer’s bringing the heat now, but NC campaigns will soon heat up
We’re just two weeks away from the absentee ballot deadline in North Carolina’s general election. Early voting is less than two months away. Political columnist, author, and John Locke Foundation board member John Hood joins us to discuss the hot topics in the state’s election season. Does Republican Michael Whatley have a shot against Democrat...
Video
Locke’s Donald Bryson assesses proposed Duke Energy rate hike
John Locke Foundation CEO Donald Bryson discusses the factors contributing to Duke Energy’s proposed rate hike. Bryson offered these comments during the July 24, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”
Video
Carolina Journal’s Donna King analyzes new NC budget
Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses key pieces of North Carolina’s new state budget. King offered these comments during the July 10, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”
Culture
News
NC marks 25 years since Sept. 11 attacks
Americans born after the attacks are now adults, making the 25th anniversary not only a commemoration but also an effort to preserve firsthand accounts of Sept. 11.
Opinion
Where Were You?
Wherever you were on Sept. 11, 2001, take a minute and go back there with me. Remember where you were. Remember who you were with. Remember what you felt when you realized the world had changed and there was no going back.
Opinion
A modest proposal: Teach American exceptionalism again
The General Assembly, through our schools, can put North Carolina front-and-center in the lead in restoring American greatness.
Opinion
Marriage is more than a social issue
Marriage, far from just being a social issue, by which many mean a matter of religious or moral opinion, is a foundational institution of economic and cultural stability.
Civil Society
Opinion
Civil discourse and the art of disagreement
To restore healthy public discourse, each of us must become better listeners. Civil discourse is not a competition with winners and losers; it is a deliberate and respectful exchange of ideas.
Opinion
A post-Thanksgiving reflection on gratitude over grievance
Outrage won’t solve our problems. And it won’t prepare us for tomorrow. What is needed now is a sense of redemption and reasons to feel hopeful.
Opinion
The importance of civic engagement 250 years after the founding
What YMCA's Youth and Government program is doing is remarkable. This year’s conference garnered interest from NC state legislators, mayors, policy analysts, and state officials.
Opinion
Institute fosters stronger public leadership
Times change. When we introduce IOPL to potential fellows, partners, and donors, some hear the word “political” and think “toxic,” or at least “partisan.”
Opinion
NC leaders champion post-election unity through ‘Civic Saturdays’
Like a faith gathering, it incorporated music, fellowship, shared meals, and thoughtful discourse — but with democracy as its central theme.
