Do Politics Better Podcast

U.S. Senator Ted Budd talks about life before Washington, including his family roots in New Jersey and with the New York Knicks.  How a trip to the U.S.S.R. while at Appalachian State University changed his life and family forever and informs how he approaches public service today. Sen. Budd also discusses life in the Senate, his unlikely across-the-aisle friendship with Sen. John Fetterman, and w...

As 2025 comes to a close, the podcast takes a wide-angle look back at the year in North Carolina politics.  Skye and Brian are joined by Lucille Sherman, founder of Birdseye Strategies (and former Axios reporter), and Bryan Anderson, politics reporter at The Assembly, for a insightful and fun conversation about the biggest #ncpol developments that shaped NC this year. The Do Politics Better podcas...

The storied Army–Navy Football Game is Saturday afternoon and Sens. Warren Daniel and Bob Brinson , both West Point graduates, and Rep. Eric Ager , a proud Naval Academy alum, are featured guests on this week's pod.   Together, they talk about the traditions of the game, what makes the rivalry and the military academies so special, and they manage to talk a little friendly trash ahead of the big g...

In this latest installment of the pod's #MeetTheFreshman series, Skye and Brian sit down with Sen. Chris Measmer , who was appointed to the Senate following former Majority Leader Paul Newton’s resignation earlier this year. A multi-generation Cabarrus County native, Sen. Measmer talks about growing up in a community with deep family roots, the path that took him to George Washington University, a...

Hannah Preston is using her voice and platform at Influence NC to inspire young voters to get involved in the political process .  Hannah talks about what motivated her to found Influence NC, what she's doing to reach young voters through social media, and how she wants to include conservative voices in her work.     Skye and Brian also unpack the week in NC politics, including the non-session, a...

With candidate filing for the 2026 elections just weeks away, Andy Jackson of the John Locke Foundation joins us to unpack the newly updated Civitas Partisan Index — a key measure of how North Carolina’s legislative and congressional districts lean politically. Andy explains how the CPI works, what makes a district “toss-up,” “lean,” “likely,” or “safe,” and what the numbers suggest about which pa...

With Rep. Cecil Brockman’s recent resignation amid questions of possible expulsion, attention has turned to what that process actually looks like in the NC House, and how rare it is for legislators to remove one of their own. In 2008, the NC House took an extraordinary and historic step — voting 109-5 to expel Rep. Thomas Wright of New Hanover County for ethical misconduct. It was the first time i...

Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell's political career has taken her from Raleigh City Council, to the North Carolina Senate, to serving as State Treasurer, and now back to leading the Capital City. Janet reflects on her time in the Senate — including her decision to hold out on the state lottery vote as one of the “Lottery Five,” a group of Democrats who initially opposed the measure — and how that experi...

Lisa Stifler is the Chief of Staff to Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch — who also happens to be her friend since they were 15. Lisa shares how their lifelong friendship shapes their work at the General Assembly and how she helps navigate the challenges of leading the Senate Democratic caucus.   Plus, Skye and Brian break down the week in #ncpol: new congressional redistricting developments, t...

We’re on location at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds for a special Do Politics Better episode with NC Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. From the smell of fried food to the sound of ferris wheels spinning, Commissioner Troxler shares what makes the State Fair one of North Carolina’s most beloved traditions — and why it’s a powerful showcase for the state’s $100 billion agriculture indust...

Rep. Donnie Loftis shares his story — from his years as a career Army serviceman and elite athlete to managing CVS drug stores and serving on the Gaston County Commission. In this candid conversation, Loftis reflects on his path to the General Assembly and the controversy surrounding his presence in Washington, D.C. on January 6. He sets the record straight about what happened that day and how it...

Rep. Dean Arp, one of the chief budget writers in the NC House, reflects on his life and political career.  The Union County Republican talks about his reputation in Raleigh as the legislature’s “nice guy,” and the personal tragedies that shaped him—including surviving two fatal car wrecks and growing up without his father, who was in prison during his childhood. And yes, we ask him about the extr...

Donna King, editor of the Carolina Journal and one of North Carolina’s most influential conservative journalists, has covered the political battles shaping Raleigh and beyond, offering sharp reporting and unapologetically conservative analysis. In this conversation, Donna talks about her journey in journalism, what it means to cover politics from a conservative perspective, and why free speech, fr...

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, NC Young Republicans President Emily Stack and NC Young Democrats President Zach Finley issued a rare joint statement denouncing political violence and calling for unity. Their message, released just one day after the tragedy, stood in stark contrast to the divisive commentary flooding social media. On this special episode of Do Politics Better, Skye an...

NC Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey shares his life story, from his early days as an insurance man to his political career that took several attempts before finally winning the office he now holds. But the most remarkable chapter in his journey came when the Guilford County Republican agreed to wear a wire for the FBI — helping expose corruption at the highest levels of state politics.  Plus, Br...

Political Science professor Chris Cooper (Western Carolina University) joins Brian for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of North Carolina politics in 2025. They unpack what to expect from the legislative session, the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of gerrymandering, and how Governor Josh Stein is navigating the political landscape. The two also discuss the rise of a new Speaker of the...

WUNC’s Capital Bureau Chief Colin Campbell has been covering North Carolina politics for over a decade across newspapers, digital outlets, and now public radio. Colin shares how his love for broadcasting began as a teenager reading the news at a small station in Virginia, and how that early passion led him into a long career reporting on the people and policies shaping our state. Skye and Brian al...

This week on the podcast, we sit down with Ardis Watkins, Executive Director of the State Employees Association of NC , whose big hair, cowboy boots, and Texas roots have made her a standout advocate for North Carolina’s state employees. Ardis shares her perspective on the 2025 legislative session, the challenges and opportunities ahead for SEANC, and how the organization’s bipartisan culture is b...

In this Meet the Freshmen episode, Skye and Brian sit down with Sen. Dana Jones — a small business owner, former Chair of the Forsyth County School Board, and one of the newest faces in the North Carolina Senate. The Forsyth County Republican shares why she decided to run for the seat after Sen. Joyce Krawiec announced she wouldn’t seek re-election, and how her experience on the school board prepa...

Andrew Dunn, publisher of Longleaf Politics and editorial writer for the Charlotte Observer, joins us for a candid conversation about the state of media, politics, and his journey through both in this one-on-one conversation with Brian. A former advisor to Lt. Governor Dan Forest's gubernatorial campaign, Dunn brings an insider’s perspective to both the press and politics — and he's not shy about...

Before arriving at the General Assembly, Sen. Sophia Chitlik served in the Obama administration — bringing a national policy lens to local politics. In this episode, the freshman Durham Democrat reflects on her path from presidential staffer to political upstart, including her primary win last year over a popular incumbent.  Plus, she shares how she builds unlikely friendships across the aisle — e...

Jordan Shaw's connection to U.S. Senator Thom Tillis dates back to 2009, when Shaw was communications director for the NC Republican Party and Tillis was House Minority Whip. Sixteen years later, Shaw is a founding partner at Gamechangers Strategies — where Tillis remains one of his clients—and he joins us to break down one of the biggest developments in North Carolina politics: Tillis' decision n...

NC Treasurer Brad Briner joins us for a candid and wide-ranging conversation about money, policy, and personal growth. Briner opens up about how his family’s early financial struggles shaped his outlook, created educational opportunities, and launched a successful career in finance. Now managing the state’s money, the first term Republican talks with us about the challenges with the State Health P...

As the long session (allegedly) winds down, Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance/Randolph) and Rep. Dante Pittman (D-Wilson/Nash) join the podcast for a wrap-up conversation on the bills, the budget, and the big political themes of 2025 at the NC General Assembly so far. The discussion includes legislation they worked on directly, the raw milk debate, shrimp trawling, immigration, permitless carry, hemp reg...

It’s the legislative equivalent of the last day of school before trackout — but with more shrimp, last-minute amendments, and a surprise parliamentary showdown in the Senate. In this episode, Skye and Brian break down the hectic final week before lawmakers head into their summer recess. From the politics of hemp and seafood to adjournment resolutions and the bills that didn’t make the cut, we’ve g...