Do Politics Better Podcast

North Carolina lawmakers finally reached a budget agreement, a bipartisan one at that, and Skye and Brian break down what made it into the spending plan and what's next in the legislative session. Also, Rep. Phil Shepard (R-Onslow) reflects on his 15 years in the legislature, the evolution of North Carolina politics in his region, and the lessons he's learned.  The Do Politics Better podcast is sp...

This week on Do Politics Better, Brian Lewis and Skye David sit down with North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Pam Cashwell to discuss her remarkable career in public service and her department's leadership role in commemorating America's 250th anniversary. Secretary Cashwell made history as the first Native American to serve in a North Carolina Governor's Cabinet....

NC Family Policy Council Lobbyist Jere Royall sits down for a fascinating conversation about politics, family, and the power of relationships in #ncpol. Jere is the son of the late Sen. Ken Royall, one of the most influential figures in modern North Carolina political history when he became both the Senate Majority Leader and Appropriations Chairman decades ago. Gov. Jim Hunt described the Durham...

Mark Ezzell, Director of the North Carolina Governor's Highway Safety Program , was in his early 20s when his father, Sen. Jim Ezzell, died on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh on the eve of session starting in 1991.   That loss not only changed Mark's life forever, it also created an opening in the North Carolina Senate for a young House member named Roy Cooper. But this story is about more than polit...

Former NC Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest sits down for a candid conversation about the twists and turns that have shaped his life, career, and outlook on the future.   The Republican reflects on growing up in a political family, how his parents' divorce affected him and influenced his views on faith, family, and perseverance. He also opens up about one of the most difficult chapters of his public...

Rep. Allen Chesser is a combat veteran who served more than two decades ago, but he says war is still claiming lives today. With veteran suicide continuing to devastate military families, Rep. Chesser joins Skye and Brian for a candid Memorial Day conversation about service, sacrifice, mental health, and why he believes lawmakers must do more to support veterans long after they return home. The Na...

Former Rep. Leo Daughtry joins Skye and Brian to reflect on his storied political career, including the dramatic battle for Speaker of the North Carolina House heading into the 2003–2004 biennium. For weeks, the Johnston County Republican was widely viewed as the next Speaker after his party narrowly won the NC House in 2002 by a single seat.   But, a last-minute revolt within the Republican caucu...

Rep. Stephen Ross is wrapping up an incredible political career that began in Burlington, where he served on the City Council, led as Mayor, and eventually was persuaded to run for the NC House. The Alamance County Republican shares how he worked alongside a fellow mayor from another county (and another political party) to deliver results not just for their hometowns, but for North Carolina politi...

Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger sits down for a candid conversation about the legislative short session and the question everyone in #ncpol is asking: Will the House and Senate actually come together on a new budget? Sen. Berger also reflects on his unsuccessful run for the NC House in 1994, his successful bid for NC Senate six years later, and talks about spending a decade in the minority. W...

Speaker Destin Hall previews the short session now underway and breaks down the path forward on the state budget after last year’s budget stalemate.  The Speaker walks listeners through his priorities, what’s changed since last year, and whether there’s a realistic path to breaking the impasse. He also reflects on his first year holding the gavel:  what he’s learned, his leadership style, and he t...

Governor Josh Stein talks about how his time in the NC Senate (2009-2016) shaped the way he leads today. Having served under both Democratic and Republican leadership, Gov. Stein reflects on the lessons he learned working across the aisle, building relationships, and navigating the realities of divided government.  It's experience he now leans on as he works with the General Assembly. He also offe...

Brett Keeter began his political career managing a campaign for a 26-year-old up-and-comer named Patrick McHenry, who won a seat in the General Assembly in 2002, the biennium of co-Speakers.  Brett would serve as Rep. McHenry's legislative assistant.   Two years later, the college friends mount a successful campaign for Congress, with Brett going on to lead Congressman McHenry's district offices....

Politics NC's Thomas Mills, a Democrat, knows about winning in rural areas because he was the consultant for many successful political campaigns, including former Senator and Lt. Governor Walter Dalton from Rutherford County.   Thomas breaks down how Democrats once built durable voting blocs as moderates, what changed over time, and what it would take to rebuild that connection today. Plus, Skye a...

NC State Board of Election Sam Hayes joins the podcast for an inside look at how elections work, including his role leading and he offers a candid assessment of how the primaries went, what lessons were learned, and what it takes to run secure, accurate, and efficient elections at scale. We also look ahead to November, as Hayes discusses how his team is preparing for the high-stakes midterm electi...

North Carolina’s government structure can be…complicated. And sometimes, that complexity shows up in ways that raise more questions than answers. UNC Law School Professor Rick Su is a leading expert on local government and he breaks down a curious exchange between a state House member and Sheriff Garry McFadden that exposed a surprising level of confusion about a basic question: what branch of gov...

Before the primary election, the News & Observer's Danielle Battaglia stopped by to talk about her move back from Washington DC to Raleigh while remaining on the congressional beat.   What does this shift mean for political coverage in the state? How might reporting from Raleigh — rather than Washington — change the way stories about North Carolina’s members of Congress are told? And what does...

Note:  The Do Politics Better podcast was recorded and distributed on March 5, but mysteriously was not uploaded to Apple Podcasts.  We are resending this podcast.   Primary night delivered clarity in most contested races in North Carolina, but not for the most important #ncpol race most of us were watching:  Senator Phil Berger v Sheriff Sam Page in Rockingham and Guilford Counties. In this episo...

Primary night delivered clarity in most contested races in North Carolina, but not for the most important #ncpol race most of us were watching:  Senator Phil Berger v Sheriff Sam Page in Rockingham and Guilford Counties. In this episode, Skye and Brian break down the key results from across the state, what they tell us about the mood of the electorate, and which surprises matter heading into Novem...

Alex Baltzegar, Executive Director of NC FreeEnterprise Foundation, talks with Skye and Brian about Tuesday's #NCPOL primary elections. From US Senate race to key legislative battlegrounds, we break down the races as Toss-Up, Lean, or Safe and explain what the data, fundraising, and political environment are telling us. If you want a clear-eyed, numbers-driven look at what to watch, who has moment...

In this episode of Do Politics Better, Brian sits down with John Hood for a candid conversation about the growing divide within conservatism — and what it could mean for the future of American elections. They explore the tension between traditional free-market conservatism and the rise of populist, nationalist currents on the right. Is this a temporary fracture, or a lasting realignment? And how w...

Sen. Todd Johnson and his wife Amanda join the podcast for a special conversation about love, partnership, and public service. From meeting in high school band to navigating college courtship, a proposal, marriage, and raising two boys, the Johnsons share the story of building a life together — including one that now includes North Carolina politics.  Plus, Rep. Grant Campbell returns to the podca...

Rep. Zack Hawkins is back and a lot has changed since his last visit. The Durham Democrat joins us to catch up on what he’s been working on at the General Assembly, including the pivotal role he played in getting sports gambling over the finish line.   Rep. Hawkins also opens up about the devastating personal loss of his oldest son and how that grief has been transformed into a "sole" purpose. Lis...

Guest host Sen. Benton Sawrey, a Johnston Co Republican , and co-host Brian Lewis team up to break down a wintry week in #ncpol. From icy politics to the Governor making yet another budget pitch, the latest John Locke Foundation poll, fresh primary chatter, a heartbreaking tragedy in Cabarrus County, House oversight fireworks, #TOTW, and more. The episode also features a conversation with Rep. Tim...

Political science professors Chris Cooper (Western Carolina University) and Michael Bitzer (Catawba College) break down the emerging landscape of 2026, from the Trump factor and how it’s still rearranging political gravity, to affordability as a defining issue for voters.   The professors connect national dynamics to North Carolina’s uniquely complicated terrain, including the U.S. Senate race, Co...

Sen. Danny Britt, a Robeson County Republican, and former Sen. Mike Woodard, a Durham Democrat, look ahead to 2026, breaking down what’s coming with insight, honesty, disagreement, and plenty of laughs. The conversation covers the looming primary elections, the dynamics of the legislative short session, and whether lawmakers are headed toward a big budget, a mini-budget, or no budget at all. The d...