News

Political environment tightens headed into heat of election season

The first poll since election season kicked into high gear following the Labor Day holiday shows a tightening field between Republicans and Democrats at the state and federal level in North Carolina. At the same time, the poll continues to show widespread concern among voters about the direction of the country and the economy, in...

David N. Bass
News

Robinson, Budd headline Salt & Light Conference in Charlotte

Themes on the importance of faith in the public square and optimism about the future in the face of adversity highlighted the NC Faith and Freedom Coalition’s 5th annual Salt & Light conference, held at Freedom House Church in Charlotte on Sept. 23 and 24.  N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson; current and former members of...

Zach Rounceville
News

Duke group backs Stein’s bid to throw out N.C. criminal libel law

The Duke First Amendment Clinic is supporting N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein’s bid to have federal courts throw out North Carolina’s law criminalizing campaign lies. The clinic filed a friend-of-the-court brief Tuesday in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

CJ Staff
News

Environmental groups rally against Duke Energy plan in Raleigh

Environmental activists gathered in downtown Raleigh last week to oppose a proposal from Duke Energy that aims to cut carbon emissions in North Carolina, claiming it doesn’t go far enough. The plan in the crosshairs, called the Carolinas Carbon Plan, is being considered as a proposal from Duke Energy by the N.C. Utilities Commission. The...

David N. Bass

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 assesses NC health care funding challenge

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses North Carolina’s health care funding challenges linked to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Kokai offered these comments during the Jan. 16, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Mitch Kokai
Video

Locke’s Donald Bryson discusses tariffs’ impact in North Carolina

John Locke Foundation CEO Donald Bryson discusses the impact of tariffs in North Carolina. A new Locke report from North Carolina State University Professor Jeffrey Dorfman estimates a $695 million negative impact on the state’s farming industry, with 8,000 lost jobs. Bryson offered these comments during the Jan. 13, 2026, edition of Spectrum News 1’s...

Donald Bryson
Video

Carolina Journal’s Jeff Moore analyzes NC legislators’ tax and budget impasse

Jeff Moore, John Locke Foundation vice president of communications, discusses factors leading to a tax and budget impasse among North Carolina’s legislative leaders. Moore offered these comments during the Jan. 9, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Jeff Moore
Video

The Debrief: Revolutionary Roads – Protest in Petticoats

In this special episode of The Debrief, John Locke Foundation CEO Donald Bryson sits down with Carolina Journal editor Donna King to explore a bold chapter in North Carolina’s revolutionary history: the Edenton Tea Party. They discuss the significance of this early act of political protest and its impact on the American Revolution. For more...

Donald Bryson, 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