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PODCAST

WUNC Politics

The “WUNC Politics Podcast” is a free-flowing discussion of what we"re hearing in the back hallways of the General Assembly and on the campaign trail across North Carolina. Sign up for our free, weekly WUNC Politics Newsletter here.

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All Episodes

32:00

Your power bill could be going up in NC

WUNC Politics ·

2026/04/10

Duke Energy says it needs to increase your power bill, and the fate of that request will soon be decided by a commission that recently changed to a Republican majority. The N.C. Utilities Commission has been holding a series of public hearings about Duke Energy’s plan to increase residential rates by up to 18 percent over the next two years. Duke says the rate increase is needed to keep up with higher demand for electricity and the need for a more modern grid that can handle storms with

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28:14

Why NC's prisons can't pay bills or keep staff

WUNC Politics ·

2026/03/27

North Carolina’s prison system is struggling with hundreds of vacant positions as the starting pay remains stuck around $18 an hour. Correctional officers are leaving in droves for better pay elsewhere. There’s not enough money to pay the bills for basic operations. And the state’s 55 prison facilities have more than a billion dollars in deferred maintenance needs, from air conditioning systems to fire alarms.Much of the problem stems from the legislature's inability to pass a budget, and

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16:43

Small-town accountant defeats a veteran swing-vote...

WUNC Politics ·

2026/03/13

Williamston accountant and minister Patricia Smith pulled off an upset in this month’s primary over a six-term incumbent known for crossing party lines.Rep. Shelly Willingham, D-Edgecombe, was one of three moderate Democrats who helped give House Republicans what they call a “working supermajority” and lost their primaries. Willingham had survived previous attempts to unseat him in a primary, and while Stein endorsed a challenger to Rep. Carla Cunningham in Charlotte, he didn’t make any

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26:02

What we learned from NC's primary -- and what's next

WUNC Politics ·

2026/03/05

North Carolina's primary brought rebukes to incumbent legislators in both parties, including a razor-thin margin in the closely watched GOP primary challenge to Senate leader Phil Berger. Why did voters reject some longtime leaders in state politics? Why did Berger's home county turn against him in favor of Sheriff Sam Page? And what's next in the vote-counting process and this year's legislative session? To sort through the results, WUNC News' Colin Campbell spoke with Adam Wagner, who

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17:34

Four races to watch in Tuesday's NC primary

WUNC Politics ·

2026/02/27

The 2026 North Carolina primary is almost here, and so for this week’s episode, we’re taking a closer look at four of the biggest races on the ballot, from the U.S. Senate to a legislative primary with major stakes. WUNC News Supervising Editor for Politics Dave DeWitt discusses the dynamics of each race -- from outside ad spending to endorsements -- with Capital Bureau Chief Colin Campbell and NC Newsroom Editor Adam Wagner.

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34:55

Main Street NC: East Durham's contaminated parks

WUNC Politics ·

2026/02/20

This is the sixth and final episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing.Soil contamination from long-ago trash incinerators has prompted Durham to close five of its parks for the past two years, and they’re still not close to a final solution to the issue.Soil testing in 2024 found potential lead contamination in the parks, and the city closed off playgrounds,

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38:58

Main Street NC: Buxton's disappearing beach

WUNC Politics ·

2026/02/13

This is the fifth episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing.About 20 beach houses have recently collapsed into the ocean in Buxton on the Outer Banks. Local leaders there say the cause isn't just climate change or sea-level rise. They blame a deteriorating jetty installed by the U.S. Navy decades ago to protect a Cold War submarine monitoring station. Local and

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28:54

Main Street NC: Coharie Tribe's river revitalization...

WUNC Politics ·

2026/02/06

This is the fourth episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing.A few years ago, the Coharie Indian Tribe launched an effort to clean out debris from the Great Coharie River near their headquarters in Sampson County. That led to a unique recreation and tourism initiative where members of the Coharie Tribe lead visitors on guided kayaking trips down the river. WUNC

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35:54

Main Street NC: Hot Springs rebuilds from Helene

WUNC Politics ·

2026/01/30

This is the third episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing.The floodwaters of Helene in 2024 washed away much of the spa and resort for which the town of Hot Springs is named, along with many homes and businesses. But the small town north of Asheville has rebounded over the past year, rebuilding shops and houses with private donations and volunteer labor

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26:18

Main Street NC: Williamston's 'crisis of healthcare'

WUNC Politics ·

2026/01/23

This is the second episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing.For more than two years, Williamston’s local hospital has sat empty. The closure of Martin General Hospital has meant much longer ambulance rides and big concerns about the state of healthcare in this rural county. But local leaders are hopeful the building could reopen soon as a smaller facility known

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29:41

Main Street NC: Laurinburg hunts for jobs after...

WUNC Politics ·

2026/01/16

This is the first episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing.For the past 65 years, Saint Andrews University has been a major economic engine for the small town in Scotland County. That all changed on May 5, when the university shut down for good after years of financial challenges. County leaders have been working to draw industry and development to multiple

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28:48

NC Chamber leader talks economic policy from tolls to...

WUNC Politics ·

2026/01/02

The North Carolina Chamber serves as the voice for businesses large and small in this state, and when it endorses or opposes legislation, state lawmakers from both parties take notice. To get an update on the NC Chamber’s advocacy efforts in 2025 and what’s ahead in 2026, WUNC's Colin Campbell visited the group's office to speak with president and CEO Gary Salamido. Salamido also weighed in on the ongoing battle between House and Senate Republicans over scheduled income tax cut triggers and

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12:52

Gov. Josh Stein talks Helene, budget, Medicaid and more

WUNC Politics ·

2025/12/19

Gov.Josh Stein is wrapping up his first year in office. It’s been a year marked by hurricane recovery efforts in Western North Carolina and fights with the legislature over taxes, Medicaid and more in Raleigh. He joined WUNC's Colin Campbell to discuss the big issues of 2025 and what’s ahead next year, from the primary to property taxes

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28:01

Key races to watch as 2026 election filings get started

WUNC Politics ·

2025/12/05

The 2026 campaign season has officially kicked off (although many campaigns have been going for months now) with the start of candidate filing. With the primary less than three months away, we're digging into the races worth watching, from Congress to legislature to the Wake County district attorney. Two political reporters, Adam Wagner of the NC Newsroom and Dawn Vaughan of The News & Observer, join WUNC's Colin Campbell for the conversation.

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41:00

What's the future of NC's news media amid cutbacks?

WUNC Politics ·

2025/11/21

Local news is a tough business these days, with journalists routinely laid off and small-town newspapers closing up shop. But North Carolina’s journalism scene does have success stories. WUNC's Colin Campbell spoke with the leaders of two locally owned media companies that are seeing growth. David Woronoff owns The Pilot, a thriving newspaper in Southern Pines, and magazines including Business North Carolina and Walter. Kyle Villemain started The Assembly in 2021, and it’s since grown to a

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30:53

The legacy of former Gov. Jim Hunt

WUNC Politics ·

2025/11/07

At age 88, former Gov. Jim Hunt continues to be a prominent figure in state politics, but the state’s growth means that many North Carolinians weren’t around during his record 16 years in office. So to better understand what he accomplished and what lessons his political career offers for today’s landscape in state politics, WUNC's Colin Campbell spoke with longtime Hunt aide and biographer Gary Pearce. Pearce says Hunt's powers of persuasion helped him expand the influence of the

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26:43

A closer look at NC's new Congressional districts

WUNC Politics ·

2025/10/24

North Carolina no longer has any particularly competitive Congressional districts, thanks to the new map passed this week at President Donald Trump’s request. To get a better sense for how the new districts will play out in the courts and in next year’s midterm landscape, WUNC's Colin Campbell spoke with Western Carolina University political scientist Chris Cooper. Cooper says odds aren't favorable for Democrats to pull off an upset victory in any of the GOP-leaning districts.

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30:18

NC House Freedom Caucus wins on shrimp, guns

WUNC Politics ·

2025/10/10

The 33-member N.C. House Freedom Caucus notched some major policy victories this year, defeating a proposal from Senate leaders to ban shrimp trawling while getting a gun-rights bill to the governor’s desk.WUNC's Colin Campbell spoke with the Freedom Caucus’ chairman, Rep. Keith Kidwell, R-Beaufort, to find out how the legislative process unfolded. Kidwell also weighed in on the ongoing budget stalemate, the Freedom Caucus' role in next year's legislative elections, and his work on the new

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22:47

Why Medicaid is facing big funding cuts in NC

WUNC Politics ·

2025/09/22

North Carolina’s Medicaid system is grappling with funding shortfalls, both from the state budget and from the Congressional megabill. The state Department of Health and Human Services says it will reduce provider reimbursement rates and cut coverage for popular weight-loss drugs if state lawmakers don’t approve additional funding.And beyond that issue, more funding will be needed in the future to handle new Medicaid work requirements that were part of President Donald Trump’s tax and

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24:48

New Progressive Caucus seeks a stronger voice on the...

WUNC Politics ·

2025/09/12

The state’s most conservative lawmakers have for years formed the House Freedom Caucus, and now there’s a similar caucus for legislators on the left.The House Progressive Caucus formed this year and has about a dozen members, as well as a political action committee that will be involved in legislative elections next year. Two caucus members, Reps. Marcia Morey of Durham and Pricey Harrison of Greensboro, spoke with WUNC's Colin Campbell about the caucus' efforts to make a difference in a

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