NC Deep Dive

Wake County is growing at a pace that feels exciting until you sit in traffic, open your property tax bill, or try to find a home you can actually afford. We sit down with Wake County Board of Commissioners at-large Republican candidate Gary Hartong to unpack what “catching up to growth” really requires, and why he frames his run as an infrastructure-first campaign rooted in long-range planning.

We get specific a...

Wake County is growing fast, and that growth shows up everywhere: school construction, EMS staffing, park demand, housing costs, and the property tax bill that funds most of it. I sit down with Safiyah Jackson, the democratic candidate for Wake County Board of Commissioners District 2, to get specific about how county government actually works and why revenue has become the battlefield where so many community priorities collide.

Your ballot can feel overwhelming until you slow down and hear how a candidate thinks when the questions get specific. I sit down with State Senator Lisa Grafstein, who’s running for re-election in North Carolina Senate District 13, to talk through the issues voters in southern Wake County keep bringing up: the cost of living, the pace of growth, and whether state government is still working for the people who live here.
<...

Your ballot can feel like a wall of names and amendments, but the stakes are personal: grocery bills, child care costs, crowded classrooms, traffic that steals time, and property taxes that keep climbing. We sit down with Winn Decker, democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District 37, to get specific about what’s changing in fast-growing Southern Wake County and what the General Assembly can ...

The most overlooked races on your ballot can have the most day-to-day impact on where you live. In Southern Wake County, the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor contest sits right at the crossroads of development, clean water, stormwater runoff, and what happens to the farms and open land that still define so much of our quality of life.

I’m joined by candidate Jim White for a clear, nuts-and-bo...

We talk with John Adcock, Republican candidate for Wake County Board of Commissioners District 2, about what Southern Wake needs from county government and how he plans to measure every decision against local impact. We focus on affordability, transportation, transparency, and what accountability should look like when the county makes billion-dollar choices. 

• district-only voting and what it changes for representation in ...

Judicial races are the ones most people skip and they might be the ones that shape your life the fastest. We sit down with Christine Walczyk, a Wake County trial judge and democratic candidate for the North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 3 race, to translate what the appellate courts actually do, why their decisions set statewide precedent, and how recent changes mean the Court of Appeals often becomes the final word for everyday N...

Your rent is up, groceries cost more than they did last year, and health care still feels like a maze with a price tag attached. That’s the backdrop for our Candidate Conversation with Paul Barringer, the Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District, where he makes the case that Congress should stop rubber-stamping and start protecting everyday people.

We ...

Politics gets real when it touches the streets you drive, the schools your kids sit in, and the bills that show up every month. That’s why we sat down with NC Senate District 17 Republican candidate Shirley Johnson for a wide-ranging, specific conversation focused on Southern Wake County communities like Holly Springs and Apex, plus the fast-changing edge of Raleigh.

We start with why she’s running and the experi...

This episode breaks down the Democratic primary for North Carolina House District 37, where Winn Decker, Ralph Clements, and Marcus Gadson are competing to face Republican incumbent Erin Paré in November.

Decker leans on his bipartisan policy experience and coordinated planning, focusing on housing, infrastructure, and schools to keep pace with Wake County’s growth. Clements emphasizes consumer protections, fair utilities, and...

In this episode we zoom into the District 17 NC Senate race that will be on the Republican Ballot. Sarah Al-Baghdadi positions herself as a community-focused contender with experience in law enforcement, substitute teaching, and small business. She centers mental health, promises high accessibility, and raises concerns about proposed data centers, though her public record is light—no campaign website yet and minimal filings b...

Wake County’s next District Attorney will shape how justice works every day; and this year, the Democratic primary effectively decides the office. There is no Republican challenger, so the primary winner will take the seat in November.

This episode breaks down the three-way race — Sherita Walton, Melanie Shekita, and Wiley Nickel — and translates their platforms into real stakes: which cases get prosecuted, who get...

The quiet races decide so much. This GOP primary for North Carolina’s Court of Appeals Seat 1 asks a sharp question: what kind of experience best prepares a judge to review the law—meticulous appellate-ready opinions or years of trial-tested judgment?

We walk through the ballot basics, then dig into two distinct judicial résumés. Administrative Law Judge Michael C. Byrne spotlights nearly 400 written decisions, n...

Early voting is almost over, and many of you may still be weighing your options. To help, we recorded a full Democratic candidate forum for North Carolina’s U.S. House District 13 so you can cut through the noise, hear real answers, and decide with confidence. This famously gerrymandered district stretches from Caswell and Person to Johnston, Lee, and southeast Wake—we also explain how to confirm your district and find ...

The Democratic primary for Seat Three on the North Carolina Court of Appeals features two candidates offering distinct paths to the bench: James Weldon Whalen and Christine Walczyk. As a statewide court that reviews thousands of civil and criminal cases each year—and now has the final word in the vast majority of appeals—its decisions shape fundamental issues ranging from voting rights to public education and constituti...

In this episode, we break down the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District, featuring three distinct candidates:

• Paul Barringer – A healthcare consultant, attorney, and farm manager running on constitutional accountability, fiscal responsibility, and practical healthcare reform. He emphasizes independent, district-first representation, balanced budgeting, and bipartisan problem-solving roo...

We map the District 13 Republican primary between Sid Sharma and Brad Knott, laying out each platform, public record, and source so voters can compare claims and consequences. Clear contrasts emerge on immigration tactics, tax policy scope, and governing style.

• Ballot rules and who gets a primary ballot
• Sid Sharma’s bio and accountant-first agenda
• Sharma’s deportation strategy and sanctuary city penal...

We walk through how the NC primary works, then break down the NC-04 Democratic race: Valerie Foushee’s record and endorsements, Nida Allam’s platform and organizing background, and Mary Patterson’s priorities and questionnaire. We close with redistricting shifts, fundraising context, and a clear path to research and vote.

• Early voting dates and ballot rules
• Scope of NC-04 and who appears on ballots

We guide voters through NC’s Democratic US Senate primary with a clear, side-by-side look at each candidate’s platform, background, and funding. From anticorruption plans and affordability to education, healthcare, and civil liberties, we delve into their campaign sites and relevant information.

• primary voting rules for party and unaffiliated voters
• overview of six Democratic candidates on the ballot
• ...