Do Politics Better Podcast

Senators Benton Sawrey and Mary Wills Bode were guests on the podcast in the weeks following the 2022 election.  They return to the podcast this week to talk about their freshman terms, the ups and downs, and their perspectives on crossover week when they were on opposing sides of the abortion debate .  Skye and Brian also cover Sen. Bill Rabon's committee testimony about his cancer journey and us...

Axios Raleigh reporter Lucille Sherman has broken some blockbuster stories that in many ways have defined the 2023 legislative session:   Auditor Beth Wood’s car accident , Rep. Tricia Cotham’s party switch , and the Medicaid expansion deal .   Lucille talks about her career as a journalist, her path to North Carolina, and her approach to covering North Carolina politics.   Skye and Brian also dis...

Rep. Jennifer Balkcom is an 8th generation Henderson County native whose life was shaped by family, farming, and profound loss.   The freshman Republican legislator talks about the heartbreak she experienced as child, helping her family make ends meet to keep their family farm, finding love, and her journey to the General Assembly, where she has been on the forefront of the leadership's legislativ...

Cory Bryson is a Senior Policy Advisor to the Speaker Tim Moore .  However, the Gaston County native wasn't always so fortunate.  Cory was raised by his maternal grandparents, grew up eating food from a local church pantry, and struggling in school.   In this heartfelt conversation, Cory takes listeners through his incredible life, including his enlistment in the U.S. Marines, how a decision to vo...

This week was supposed to be about the crossover deadline on May 4, the day policy bills had to pass either the House or Senate in order to be eligible for consideration by the General Assembly in the biennium.  However, a 12-week abortion bill was rolled out late Tuesday night and legislators took to their partisan battle stations.   Skye and Brian also talk about the three major NC Supreme Court...

Rep. Jeffrey Elmore is the go-to legislator in the House, maybe even in the General Assembly, on all things K-12 related.  That's because he's spent 23 years as an active teacher in Wilkes County, a job he still holds.   The 6-term Republican talks to Skye and Brian about how he balances his career with his service in the General Assembly where he has risen to the 'Big Chair' ranks of House budget...

The Hunt name still carries weight in North Carolina politics two decades after Governor Jim Hunt left office.   Sen. Rachel Hunt , the daughter of the "Education Governor," started her political career in 2018 when she successfully defeated a powerful House incumbent and four years later she now serves in the Senate.  Now the Democrat from Mecklenburg County is eyeing the Lieutenant Governor posi...

Rep. Dennis Riddell is known in the General Assembly as legislator for his effectiveness, persistence, and his Christian faith.  However, the Alamance County Republican was on a far different path before he was brought to his knees at age 21 and was transformed forever.  Rep. Riddell also talks about how he met his wife Polly, a family tragedy they endured, and his career as a social studies teach...

Rep. Caleb Rudow is a former lead singer in a David Bowie cover band, a trilingual Peace Corp volunteer in Africa, and he’s as energetic and optimistic as a legislator can be.  The second term Asheville Democrat talks about his life and work, his efforts to get to know his legislative colleagues and their districts, and how he hopes it results in bipartisan policy partnerships.  Skye and Brian als...

Rep. Tim Reeder is one of two medical doctors serving in the NC House (the other is Rep. Kristin Baker ).  The Greenville Republican talks about his career in emergency medicine, teaching at ECU, his work at a homeless shelter and the connection to public policy, and his decision to get into the hottest House legislative race in 2022 .   Skye and Brian also break down an epic week at the General A...

Billy Lassiter is the Deputy Secretary for Juvenile Justice at the Department of Public Safety.  If you've seen Billy at the General Assembly advocating for more resources and better policies, he stands out.  That's because he has albinism, which means he has white hair, pale skin and his vision isn't very good.   Billy talks about growing up as albino and a bullying incident in middle school that...

NC Supreme Court Justice Phil Berger, Jr. is the son of NC's most powerful politician, Senator Phil Berger .  He talks about his father's sacrifice to make a better life for his family, his own political career, and how sports continues to play an integral part of his life, work, and community service.   Listeners also learn about his inter-party friendships on the court, his future in North Carol...

Rep. Ed Goodwin is part northeastern NC farmer and part James Bond.  He's protected Presidents of the United States, fought crime in cities, been in hostile foreign lands, and held victims of sexual assault. The Chowan County Republican talks to Skye and Brian about his incredible life, his career, and what led him to run for political office, including the General Assembly.  Plus they cover Gover...

Usually, a legislator's first floor speech is something easy.  Maybe it's a point-of-personal-privilege after the business of the Senate has concluded or they rise in support of an innocuous bill.  However,  Sen. Lisa Graftstein's first floor speech was personal as she talked about her childhood and coming to terms with her sexuality .   The Wake County Democrat talks about her first speech as wel...

NC Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson announced in December 2022 he was not running for re-election to the post in 2024 nor would he seek any other elected office .   In this exclusive interview, Commissioner Dobson talks to Skye and Brian on how he came to this heartfelt decision and why he is at peace with it.  He also talks about his plans for the next two years, the work he would like to do in the...

Sen. Julie Mayfield began her political career on the Asheville City Council in 2015 and five years later was elected to the General Assembly as a Democrat.  The environmental attorney talks about her transition from local to state government and how she works to get work done for her district by partnering with Republicans. While Sen. Mayfield enjoys working with all of her colleagues from both s...

Rep. Ben Moss spent over 20 years working on the railroad and knows about hard (and dangerous) work.  So while running for county commission in Democratic controlled Richmond County was a tall order, he knew that his blue collar work ethic and persistence would eventually win him a seat in 2010 after two unsuccessful attempts.  A decade later he would win a seat in the NC House.   Skye and Brian t...

Rep. Garland Pierce is one of the longest serving members in the General Assembly.  As a Democrat who was first elected in 2005, he knows what it's like to serve in the majority and he knows the challenges of serving the minority since 2011.   The Scotland and Hoke County legislator talks to Skye and Brian about his politically changing district and how he is positioning himself to get work done i...

The hit-and-run charges against NC Auditor Beth Wood has become a daily news story for the last two weeks .  Much of the talk in NC political circles is how the actions and communications surrounding the incident could have been handled better.   Skye and Brian have a conversation with veteran communications professional  Seth Palmer , who has advised elected and appointed officials across North C...

Sen. Bobby Hanig fights for the underdog, because he is one.  Whether it's growing up in poverty in the projects of Philadelphia, fighting county government on a regulation impeding his business, challenging a House incumbent, or just recently, winning a Democratic leaning Senate district.   The Outer Banks Republican opens up to Brian about his life, small business, and his impressive political c...

The NC General Assembly opened its 2023-2024 biennium on Wednesday with a day of celebration, optimism, and bipartisanship (for the most part) .  This podcast covers the ceremonial day, including a new rule in the House that will allow for easier veto overrides in that chamber , the news that an abortion bill is being negotiated between the House and Senate , and a list of unfinished business from...

One might assume the conservative John Locke Foundation gets everything it asks for from a Republican General Assembly.  Well, the think-tank gets a lot, but the organization has differences over big legislative issues, including Medicaid expansion.   JLF President/Chief Strategy Officer Donald Bryson talks with Skye and Brian about Locke's approach to the General Assembly, his life and career, an...

Republican Senator Danny Britt and Democratic Senator Mike Woodard look back at the year in North Carolina politics, including their top stories and surprises of 2022.  They also look ahead to the 2023 General Assembly session and share their views on the 2024 elections.  Sen. Britt also gives his take on the race for attorney general.   Skye and Brian also unpack the latest NC Supreme Court rulin...

Senator-elect Mary Wills Bode was elected to the NC Senate on November 8 after a grueling race that was watched closely by NC political observers. The Granville County Democrat (who also represents part of Wake County) sits down with Skye and Brian to talk about her high profile election, her goals in the General Assembly as a freshman senator serving in the minority, and her life path to elected...

Jeff Tiberii is the Capitol Bureau Chief covering the General Assembly and he hosts WUNC's biweekly Politics Podcast , roles he continues through the end of 2022.  In the New Year, he'll co-host a daily radio show on WUNC that will focus on North Carolina news, politics and culture .   Before he makes this transition, Jeff sat down with Skye and Brian to talk about his life, family, career, love o...