News

Burr Pushes Alternative to Obamacare

RALEIGH — Richard Burr, in his second Senate term, has no expectation that his or any other legislative health care proposal could become law until Obama leaves office in 2017. Yet he believes that Obamacare will be so unpopular when the next presidential race rolls around that even the Democratic nominee will have to promise to get rid of the president's signature health care legislation.

Dan Way
News

Farmer-Butterfield Faces Better-Funded Opponent in House District 24

RALEIGH — Mark Bibbs says he would be a more effective legislator for the citizens of Wilson and Pitt counties than seven-term incumbent Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield. But lingering in the background of the Democratic primary for the 24th District of the N.C. House of Representatives is a question of whether Bibbs actually lives in the district he wants to represent.

Brett Lewis
News

Incumbent Appointee Younts Defends House District 80 Seat Against Watford

RALEIGH — District 80 covers the eastern portion of Davidson County, and is classified by the North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation as a strong Republican district with 49 percent of its voters registered Republican. Incumbent Rep. Roger Younts says he's more conservative than challenger Sam Watford, who says he's not as partisan as the legislative leadership.

Leslee Kulba
News

N.C. High Court Says No to Class-Action Status for Map Act Lawsuit

RALEIGH — Most of the more than 800 property owners potentially affected by a lawsuit challenging use of the state Map Act in Winston-Salem will not benefit from any victory for plaintiffs in the case. A 5-2 ruling from the N.C. Supreme Court Friday upheld a lower court’s ruling denying “class certification” in the case. That means only the original plaintiffs in the case will be allowed to proceed with the suit when it heads back to Forsyth County Superior Court.

Mitch Kokai
Video

Carolina Journal’s Rick Henderson discusses the case against Patrick Cannon

Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal managing editor, discusses the federal corruption charges filed against then-Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon. Henderson offered these comments during an interview with Donna Martinez for Carolina Journal Radio (Program No. 569).

Opinion

Elections

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."

Theresa Opeka
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.

CJ Staff
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.

CJ Staff

Videos

Video

Locke’s Donald Bryson discusses SCOTUS case dealing with Trump’s emergency tariffs

Donald Bryson, John Locke Foundation CEO and Carolina Journal publisher, discusses the US Supreme Court case addressing President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs. Locke filed a joint amicus brief challenging the constitutionality of emergency tariffs. Bryson offered these comments during the Oct. 28, 2025, episode of Spectrum News’ “Capital Tonight.”

Donald Bryson
Video

Carolina Journal’s Donna King analyzes NC congressional redistricting plans

Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses the North Carolina General Assembly’s plans to redraw the state’s congressional election map. King offered these comments during the Oct. 17, 2025, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Donna King
Video

Podcast: Revolutionary Roads

As the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026, this podcast explores North Carolina’s pivotal role in the nation’s founding — from the War of Regulation to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and beyond. This 10-episode series, hosted by John Locke Foundation CEO Donald Bryson, features guests with...

Video

The Debrief: Legislator arrested, Iryna’s Law aftermath, Oct. 7 remembered

This week on The Debrief, a Guilford County legislator’s arrest on sex-related charges prompts quick reaction from colleagues. Gov. Josh Stein chose an unusual way to signal his signing of Iryna’s Law. We discuss the governor’s video message and get expert analysis of the law’s potential impact. We also highlight a possible federal response. Lawmakers at the...

Video

Locke’s Mitch Kokai analyzes congressional hearing in Charlotte after light rail murder

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses the congressional hearing conducted in Charlotte in connection with the high-profile Iryna Zarutska murder. Kokai offered these comments during the Oct. 3, 2025, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Mitch Kokai

Culture

Civil Society

Opinion

For healthy civil society, politics needs to stay in its lane

Political and cultural causes are important. They motivate us to make the world around us better and hone our sense of justice. Also, the excitement of fighting the good fight can be, for lack of a better word, fun. But everything has its time and place. And even if we think a particular political issue...

David Larson
Opinion

Flashback: North Carolina’s Easter Monday tradition forged on the baseball diamond

On Good Friday state offices will be closed in North Carolina for Holy Week, along with 10 other states. However, that has not always been the case in North Carolina. The Monday after Easter — rather than Good Friday — was a legal holiday in North Carolina for 52 years, and for many years before...

Dallas Woodhouse