NC A&T State University students packed the North Carolina State Board of Elections meeting in Raleigh to support an early voting site on their campus for the upcoming primaries.
All in Politics
Op-Ed: Post-Helene NC Housing Market Needs Private Support
Months before Hurricane Helene, UNC-Chapel Hill warned that North Carolina faced a shortage of “decent, secure, and affordable housing.” After Helene destroyed 100,000 homes, the crisis deepened. While efforts to strengthen the housing market are underway, recent proposals risk cutting off a critical source of supply.
State Auditor Recommends Cuts, Reinvestment in First DAVE Act Report
RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (OSA) today released a comprehensive, data-driven performance audit examining long-term vacancies across state agencies and the significant impact of the lapsed salary generated when these positions remain unfilled.
Budd, Tillis Announce Strong Support for President Trump’s U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of N.C. Nominee, Dan Bishop
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) today announced their support for the nomination of Dan Bishop, former U.S. Congressman and Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to become the Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
Budd, Shaheen Lead Bipartisan Bill to Protect the Identity of Special Operations Forces Executing Dangerous U.S. Military Operations
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Special Operator Protection Act today, to protect the identity of Special Operations Forces (SOF), federal law enforcement officers attached to SOF, and other Department of Defense (DOD) personnel who conduct highly sensitive DOD missions, by creating a criminal penalty for doxing their personally identifiable information. U.S. Representatives Richard Hudson (R-N.C.-09) and Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.-10) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Stein Calls on General Assembly to Pass State Budget at NC Strong Update
(RALEIGH) Today Governor Josh Stein held his latest NC Strong Update to reaffirm his commitment to a healthier North Carolina, including announcing new funding for rural health care and summer meals for kids and calling on the General Assembly to pass a comprehensive state budget that fully funds Medicaid as federal Affordable Care Act tax credits expire. Governor Stein also gave an update on his successful work to keep people safe from malicious drones.
John Hood: Transparency Will Help, Not Harm, Campuses
RALEIGH — I admit that I am not a career academic. But I have taught at the university level for many years, and leadership classes for decades. I can’t imagine any scenario in which sharing my course outlines or syllabi with the general public would impair my freedom, effectiveness, or reputation.
Senator Budd Secures $72 Million in FEMA Public Assistance & $44.6 Million in Hazard Mitigation Grants for Western North Carolina
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem today announced more than $72 million in Public Assistance (PA) grant program reimbursements and $44.6 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds for Hurricane Helene recovery projects across Western North Carolina. These HMGP funds are critical for protecting Western North Carolina from potential flooding and storm damage in the future.
John Hood: Property Tax Merits Reform, Not Repeal
RALEIGH — North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) had created a 23-member select committee to evaluate potential reforms of the state’s property-tax system. That is a fine idea, a sensible reaction to surging property values and changing fiscal conditions. But members ought not be distracted by out-of-state chatter about repealing the property tax entirely. That is a bad idea, destined to fail.
Op-Ed: Respiratory Therapist Highlights Importance of RSV Protection for Infants
Childhood vaccines continue to be a major point of discussion here in North Carolina and across the country. As a respiratory therapist, I help patients of all ages manage and treat breathing and cardiopulmonary disorders. For babies with breathing issues, this care helps strengthen lung function and overall respiratory health. Given how even minor respiratory issues can be serious for small, vulnerable infants, I encourage parents to have personal conversations with their doctors about vaccines so they can make carefully considered, medically supported decisions.
North Carolina's November Employment Figures Released
Raleigh, N.C. - The state’s seasonally adjusted November 2025 unemployment rate was 3.8 percent. The national rate was 4.6 percent. October 2025 data are unavailable due to the lapse in appropriations.
John Hood: Do Sternly Worded Letters Win Wars?
RALEIGH — It was 250 years ago this week that a displaced governor issued a proclamation intended to restore him to power in North Carolina. Instead, it led to the first major engagement of the Revolutionary War in the Southern colonies — and a decisive defeat for his cause.
North Carolina’s rigid, unresponsive legislative leadership is taking a toll
There is, of course, nothing new about the spectacle of everyday people being forced to endure great suffering because of the whims, foibles, fears and egos of powerful rulers and politicians. From the forced labor that helped construct the pyramids to the countless wars waged to boost a leader’s domestic political standing, millions of people throughout history have suffered greatly because of a powerful man’s – and it’s almost always been a man’s – desire for power.
NC Council of State to General Assembly: Invest in workforce, pass NC’s overdue budget
Members of the North Carolina Council of State kicked off the new year with a direct message for the General Assembly: Finalize the budget and properly fund state agencies.
Republicans overtake Democrats on NC voter rolls
For the first time in state history, registered Republicans now outnumber registered Democrats in North Carolina, according to the most recent voter registration snapshot based on data from the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
John Hood: Bookstore Rebirth Teaches a Crucial Lesson
RALEIGH — One benefit of getting married on New Year’s Eve is that our anniversary is unlikely to slip my mind. If you doubt my capacity to forget so important a date, just ask my wife.
John Hood: Choke Points Limits Economic Success
RALEIGH — While our state continues to best most others in economic performance, not all our households and communities are sharing in North Carolina’s prosperity. Some are struggling to replace lost jobs with new ones. Other folks are gainfully employed but see their real incomes being eroded by the rising costs of housing, health care, transportation, and other necessities.
Senator Budd Issues Statement After CMS Announces $213M+ in Funding for North Carolina’s Rural Hospitals
Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined members of the North Carolina congressional delegation in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Mehmet Oz, expressing strong support for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service’s (DHHS) Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) application.
NC Education Lottery Financial Statement Audit Released
RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (OSA) has released the statutorily required financial statement audit of the North Carolina Education Lottery.
John Hood: When Think Tanks Lose Their Way
RALEIGH — Think tank is a funny term for a serious enterprise. For more than a century — the first one was the Brookings Institution, founded in 1916 — think tanks have played important roles in American politics and government. They’ve developed and promoted ideas.