News

Hunt pulls out of only Lt Gov debate with Weatherman

Questions are being raised about why State Sen. Rachel Hunt, Mecklenburg, the Democratic candidate in North Carolina’s lieutenant governor’s race decided to pull out of the only debate scheduled between her and Republican candidate Hal Weatherman.

Theresa Opeka
News

UNC, DHHS hope top state court will put new Durham hospital back on track

University of North Carolina Health Care and the state Department of Health and Human Services hope the state’s highest court will end legal roadblocks for UNC Health's proposed 40-bed hospital in Research Triangle Park. An appeal filed Tuesday spells out their case.

CJ Staff
News

CON critic cites Ace Speedway ruling to boost case at top NC court

The New Bern eye surgeon challenging North Carolina’s certificate-of-need law for health care is highlighting a recent state Supreme Court decision in a dispute that might appear completely unrelated. A court filing Tuesday in the CON case cited the high court’s Aug. 23 decision in Kinsley v. Aca Speedway.

CJ Staff
News

NCSBE initiates talks with US Department of Defense over absentee ballot delay

As soon as election officials in Guilford County got word that new ballots would need to be printed, officials pushed ahead to get prompt ballot approval so the county could place orders before the 99 other counties.

Brianna Kraemer
News

Former NCSU athlete’s sexual abuse case hits federal Appeals Court

A federal Appeals Court panel will decide in the months ahead whether to revive a former North Carolina State University male athlete’s sexual discrimination lawsuit against the university. The student-athlete claims the university failed to respond appropriately to sexual abuse allegations against a university employee who later assaulted the athlete during medical treatment.

CJ Staff

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 Mitch Kokai analyzes Berger’s election concession

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses Sen. Phil Berger’s concession in his primary election loss to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. Kokai offered these comments during the March 27, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Mitch Kokai
Video

Cooper, King analyze recent polling in NC’s US Senate race

Political scientist Chris Cooper of Western Carolina University and Carolina Journal Editor-in-Chief Donna King discuss recent polls in North Carolina’s 2026 US Senate race. Cooper and King offered these comments during the Jan. 23, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Donna King

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