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Elections

Legislators to probe COVID-related prison releases

Just in time for this fall’s Cooper-Whatley U.S. Senate race, General Assembly leaders announced Monday they’re forming a panel to investigate COVID-related early prison releases. Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson, and House Majority Leader Brenden Jones, R-Columbus, will co-chair the probe, House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger say....

By Ray Gronberg

April 22, 2026

Ferguson set to replace Clampitt in House

Republican leaders in Jackson, Swain and Transylvania counties have picked Anna Ferguson to fill out the balance of the late Rep. Mike Clampitt’s term in office. Ferguson will also replace Clampitt on the November general election ballot, the Smoky Mountain News reported. She will face Democratic nominee Mark Burrows. The...

By Ray Gronberg

April 15, 2026

Luddy warns senators to oppose casinos

One of the key backers of Rockingham County Sheriff’s successful bid to unseat Senate leader Phil Berger has a message for the rest of the Senate: No more casinos. “Voter have already made it clear to leadership: They do no want casino gambling in North Carolina,” say Bob Luddy, who...

By Ray Gronberg

April 9, 2026

Drive safe while campaigning?

A traffic-safety group wants everyone running for a General Assembly seat this fall to pledge to practice safe-driving habits as they campaign. That means wearing a speed belt, obeying speed limits and traffic laws and above all putting down their phones while they’re behind the wheel, says Tiffany Wright, chair...

By Ray Gronberg

April 7, 2026

Garson set to replace Meyer in Senate

Democratic leaders from Orange, Person and Caswell counties have picked Jonah Garson to replace former District 23 state Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange. Garson, up to now the first vice chair of the N.C. Democratic Party, beat out state Rep. Allen Buansi, D-Orange, for the appointment in weekend voting by a local-party...

By Ray Gronberg

April 7, 2026

How Page won: focus on home turf

Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page’s GOP-primary win over Senate leader Phil Berger has been the talk of the state’s political class since his 23-vote margin of victory was solidified in a post-balloting canvass. Everyone wonders how he did it. One of Page’s advisers, pollster/strategist Patrick Sebastian, has been happy to...

By Ray Gronberg

April 1, 2026

Dems pushing opposition to Duke rate increase

The N.C. Utilities Commission is holding hearings this week and on into April to hear from the public about Duke Energy’s request for a set of rate increases. Advocacy groups opposed to the increases have been working to boost attendance. The Washington-based Climate Power Education Fund sent mailers touting the...

By Ray Gronberg

March 31, 2026

Berger concedes to Page

Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, on Tuesday conceded that he lost his District 26 party primary to challenger Sam Page. “While this was a close race, the voters have spoken, and I congratulate Sheriff Page on his victor,” Berger said in a statement issued by his campaign just before 4...

By Ray Gronberg

March 24, 2026

Berger asks for recount, also files protest

As was widely expected, Senate leader Phil Berger has asked for a recount of the results in his District 26 GOP primary that show Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page beating him for the party nomination by 23 votes. The request came with a twist, namely that Berger wants the Rockingham...

By Ray Gronberg

March 18, 2026

Is there a precedent for Berger’s primary loss?

There’s no recent North Carolina precedent, if any, for Senate leader Phil Berger’s apparent GOP primary loss. The modern era of the General Assembly dates from the advent of gubernatorial succession in 1977. Since then, we’ve seen leadership changes in the House and Senate for many reasons, but never because...

By Ray Gronberg

March 17, 2026

Meyer cites Justice Center’s “toolkit” for move

Outgoing state Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange, says he’s leaving the legislator to run the N.C. Justice Center because the nonprofit has “the full toolkit” to help swing the state’s politics in a more progressive direction. “I’ve long said that’s the job I would want if I was going to leave...

By Ray Gronberg

March 16, 2026

Meyer resigns; Orange, Caswell and Person Dems to pick replacement

Orange, Person and Caswell counties need a new state senator. On Monday, District 23 Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange, announced that he’s resigning as of March 31 to become the executive director of the N.C. Justice Center. Meyer announced the move on Facebook, a day after posting there that the state...

By Ray Gronberg

March 10, 2026

Rucho resigns from state elections board

Former state Sen. Bob Rucho resigned from the State Board of Elections on Thursday after officials found he’d made campaign contributions to the incumbent sheriffs in Iredell and Catawba counties. The $259 contribution to Iredell Sheriff Darren Campbell occurred last October; a $1,000 donation to Catawba Sheriff Don Brown followed...

By Ray Gronberg

March 6, 2026

GOP criticizes Cooper’s handling of lacrosse case

Republicans’ search for a Willie Horton to use against former Gov. Roy Cooper on the campaign trail in this fall’s U.S. Senate race are now looking to the Duke lacrosse case. The woman whose false rape allegation touched off that now-notorious controversy, Crystal Mangum, left prison on parole on Feb....

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

Keeping up with the Jones

Democratic leaders aren’t keeping up with the Joneses — or one Jones, specifically — when it comes to fundraising for General Assembly races. House Majority Leader Brenden Jones, R-Columbus, reports that he’s raised $537,080 through mid-February for the 2025-26 election cycle. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, has raised $236,407...

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

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