Under the Dome

For the week of Jan. 13, 2025, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan talks to Washington D.C. correspondent Danielle Battaglia about the five new members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation. They also discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for immigration policy and how that may impact our state. Stay tuned to the end for our picks for Headliner of...

For the week of Jan. 6, 2025, host Dawn Vaughan talks with reporters Kyle Ingram and Korie Dean about what you need to know this week with the General Assembly and new governor beginning their work with ceremonial events. They talk about what we are already seeing about how the legislature may interact with new Gov. Josh Stein. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Korie Dean, Kyle Ingram Executive Producer:...

Host Dawn Vaughan and reporters Avi Bajpai and Korie Dean talk about their picks for Headliners of the Year, from the UNC protests to Gov. Cooper leaving office to changes at the legislature. Guests: Korie Dean and Avi Bajpai Producer: Kevin Keister Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It’s sent to...

Host Dawn Vaughan talks with Claudia Rivera Cotto, a reporter at Enlace Latino NC who covers political, government and immigration issues, about concerns facing immigrants in North Carolina with recent legislation and president-elect Donald Trump's campaign promises. Stay tuned to the end for Headliner of the Week. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Claudia Rivera Cotto Executive Producer: Laura Brache Wa...

For the week of Dec. 9, 2024, Dawn Vaughan talks to News & Observer colleagues Korie Dean and Kyle Ingram about what you can expect this week on the House override vote of Senate Bill 382, the bill that adds money to the Helene relief fund and takes powers away from the executive branch, primarily appointment power on the State Board of Elections. Plus, Ingram catches you up on the latest in the s...

For the week of Nov. 25, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan talks with News & Observer colleagues Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram and Adam Wagner about the veto override of House Bill 10 on immigration and vouchers, as well as Senate Bill 382, the bill that is sort of about Helene disaster relief but mostly about taking power away from Gov.-elect Josh Stein and the next attorney general, Jeff Jackson, who are both D...

For the week of Nov. 18, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team colleague Avi Bajpai and News & Observer K-12 schools reporter Keung Hui. For the first half of the episode, Hui explains the win and what to expect from the leadership of the winner of the superintendent of public instruction statewide race — Democrat Mo Green. After the break, we talk about what we know is happening at t...

For the week of Nov. 11, 2024, Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team colleagues Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi, Kyle Ingram and Korie Dean in part two of our post-Election Day look at the North Carolina races that were on the ballot. They talk about the N.C. Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, the General Assembly and the rest of the Council of State, from auditor to agriculture commissioner. Plus wh...

In this post-Election bonus episode of the Under the Dome podcast, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan talks to D.C. correspondent Danielle Battaglia, state politics reporter Avi Bajpai and The Charlotte Observer's Josh Bergeron and Ryan Oehrli about the 2024 general election results. What do the outcomes of North Carolina's presidential, governor's, attorney general...

In our latest Under the Dome podcast episode for the week of Nov. 4, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan talks to politics team colleagues Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Kyle Ingram about all the last minute information you need to know. From statewide voting information, the impact of Helene on voting in Western North Carolina and the flurry of presidential candidate campaign visits. Stay tuned to the end...

For the week of Oct. 28, 2024, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by N.C. Central University political science professor Jarvis Hall, for a conversation about the upcoming election. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, at the NCCU School of Education auditorium. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Jarvis Hall Executiv...

For the week of Oct. 21, 2024, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram to break down the totals from the first day of in-person early voting and bring a behind-the-scenes look at recent presidential campaign visits. Plus, the latest on two lawsuits. Stay tuned to the end for our picks for Headliner of...

On the latest episode of Under the Dome for the week of Oct. 14, 2024, host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team colleagues Kyle Ingram and Avi Bajpai. share what it was like on the floor of the Senate and House as lawmakers put the focus not on themselves, but on the people of Western North Carolina. They also bring you up to speed on the latest i...

For the week of Oct. 7, 2024, host and Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by N&O colleague Adam Wagner, who covers the environment and climate change to talk about what we know, and what we don’t, about Helene's impact. Plus, what recovery might look like. You can read all News & Observer coverage of Hurricane Helene with no paywall at newsobserver.com/topics/helene-nc. Host and Executive...

For the week of Sept. 30, 2024, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by Jason Husser of the Elon University Poll. Vaughan and Husser talk about the latest polls in North Carolina on the governor’s race and presidential race, plus what issues are important to people being polled. They also break down what is involved in doing a serious poll. Host: Dawn...

For the week of Sept. 23, 2024, Dawn Vaughan, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief, is joined by our Washington correspondent Danielle Battaglia, to discuss the continued fallout over a CNN report alleging Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson made many vulgar, racist and sexually explicit comments on a pornography website. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Danielle Battaglia Producer:...

For the week of Sept. 9, 2024, Dawn Vaughan, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief is joined by her politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram. to talk about the mini budget and Rep. Destin Hall, the champion of a significant element of the mini budget: requiring sheriffs to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE. Host: Dawn Vaughan Gue...

For the week of Sept. 9, 2024, Dawn Vaughan, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief, is joined by News & Observer assistant sports editor Steve Wiseman, who is also a reporter on the Duke University sports beat. They discuss how sports and politics intersect on the regular, from state laws to state championship celebrations.  Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Steve Wiseman Producer: K...

For the week of Sept. 2, 2024, Dawn Vaughan, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief, is joined by Western Carolina University political science professor Chris Cooper. They talk about the North Carolina’s governor race and the latest news about where the campaign stands for Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: ...

For the week of Aug. 26, 2024, Dawn Vaughan, podcast host and Capitol bureau chief, is joined by politics reporter Kyle Ingram and metro intern William Tong to talk about former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance's campaign rally in Asheboro, a counter-programming to the week of Democratic National Convention news. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Kyle Ingram and William Tong Prod...

For the week of August 19, 2024, Dawn Vaughan, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief, is joined by her politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram to discuss the latest presidential poll, fundraising in the NC House, third party candidates, and, seasoning salt news. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram Producer: Kevin Keister Want even more North Carol...

For the week of August 12, 2024. Dawn Vaughan, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief is joined by higher education reporter Korie Dean and summer intern Emmy Martin. to talk about UNC-Chapel Hill’s Friday announcement that interim Chancellor Lee Roberts has been chosen as the permanent chancellor. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Korie Dean and Emmy Martin Producer: Kevin Keister W...

For the week of August 5, 2024. Dawn Vaughan your podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief is joined by her politics team colleague Avi Bajpai to talk about what the rest of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s time as governor will bring, and what happened at the General Assembly during the House’s one-day voting session last week. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Avi Bajpai Producer: Kevin K...

For the week of July 29, 2024. Dawn Vaughan, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief is joined by our Washington, D.C., correspondent Danielle Battaglia to talk about the state of the presidential race, and what a whirlwind of news the month of July has been. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Danielle Battaglia Producer: Kevin Keister Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Un...

N&O producer/intern Gabi Hartlaub and Capitol Bureau Chief Dawn Vaughan talk about what it's like covering Cooper and what he's known for, from Covid response to budget battles with the NCGA. Host: Dawn Vaughan Producer: Gabi Hartlaub Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It’s sent to your inbox Tues...