Primary elections have narrowed the field in key North Carolina races. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson looks ahead to fall contests for governor, lieutenant governor, and the U.S. Senate. John Locke Foundation Vice President for Research Becki Gray assesses key legislative races and reacts to voters’ resounding support for the $2 billion statewide Connect NC bond package. During this election year, few political observers expect Congress to focus on major policy debates. Brandon Arnold, executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, offers his expert opinion about issues congressional leaders are likely to address or avoid in 2016. Campbell University’s law school recently hosted a panel discussion focusing attention on issues surrounding human trafficking. Panelist Tessa Dysart, an assistant law professor at Regent University, compared North Carolina’s human trafficking laws to those in the other states. Now that North Carolina has paid back its $2.5 billion debt to the federal government for unemployment benefits, state lawmakers are trying to ensure the state has a large enough reserve to avoid building up a similar debt in the future. You’ll hear highlights from their recent debate on the issue.