Under the Dome
Each week, the Under the Dome team at The News & Observer brings you the most in-depth analysis of topics in state government and politics for North Carolina. Learn more at newsobserver.com/dome
Episodes
September 18, 2023 • 24 mins
In the latest episode, for the week of Sept. 18, 2023, Dawn Vaughan, your News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host, is joined by politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram. As much as everyone — especially state employees and teachers waiting on raises — wished for final budget votes last week, they didn’t happen. Will they happen this week? Don’t hold your breath.
After the break, gun laws after the recent g...
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September 11, 2023 • 24 mins
For the week of Sept. 11, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team colleagues Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Avi Bajpai to talk about the potential for the long-awaited, much anticipated arrival of the state budget.
Stayed tuned to the end for their picks for Headliner of the Week, which range from political soda to the weather to downtown Raleigh music.
Host: Dawn Baum...
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September 4, 2023 • 25 mins
For the week of Sept. 4, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan talks about the future of sports gambling in North Carolina with Scott Ward, vice president of the Sports Betting Alliance. The alliance is comprised of sports betting companies Draft Kings, FanDuel, BetMGM and Fanatics Sportsbook.
After the break, Korie Dean, who covers higher education, and politics reporter Kyle Ingram, who also wr...
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August 28, 2023 • 29 mins
For the week of Aug. 28, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan talks with retired UNC Chapel Hill history professor Reginald Hildebrand and N.C. Sen. Natalie Murdock about the new North Carolina Freedom Park in downtown Raleigh. Hildebrand and Murdock, who both served key roles on the park’s planning, discuss the site selection to why “I Can’t Breathe,” the words said by George Floyd before being ...
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August 21, 2023 • 24 mins
For the week of Aug. 21, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast Dawn Vaughan talks with N&O politics team colleagues Kyle Ingram and Korie Dean about the busy one-day voting session last week — from the veto overrides of bills about transgender youth and athletes to new bills.
Stay tuned to the end for their picks for Headliner of the Week. Spoilers: they range from new music to the collegiate return to campus and ...
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August 14, 2023 • 21 mins
For the week of Aug. 14, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan talks with Suzanne Beasley, the government relations director for the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC).
She’s been through delayed budgets before, which means a delay in raises for tens of thousands of state employees. But it’s not just about the wait on raises, according to Beasley, it’s about what the amount will...
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August 7, 2023 • 15 mins
For the week of Aug. 7, 2023, N&O politics reporter Kyle Ingram is podcast host for Dawn Vaughan. First up is a look into the North Carolina Speaker of the House position, which longtime Speaker Tim Moore recently said he does not plan to run for again. After the break, DC Correspondent Danielle Battaglia joins to discuss former President Donald Trump’s latest criminal indictment.
Plus, stick to the end of each segment for their He...
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July 31, 2023 • 26 mins
For the week of July 31, 2023, we broke down our episode into two segments. First up are two of our local government reporters, because while statewide elections are more than a year away, local ones are coming up this fall.
After the break, I’m joined by our summer politics interns: Makiya Seminera with The N&O and Jazper Lu with NC Insider, one of our two daily politics newsletters.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guests: Kristen Johnson, Ma...
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July 24, 2023 • 23 mins
For the week of July 24, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan talked with WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell, a longtime legislative reporter.
The NC state budget is delayed again this summer. How often has the General Assembly delayed the budget? Plus, stay tuned to the end for our picks for Headliner of the Week.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guest: Colin Campbell
Executive Producer: Laura Brache
V...
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July 17, 2023 • 25 mins
For the week of July 17, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan interviews N.C. Rep. Marcia Morey, a Durham Democrat who is also a former judge and Olympian, and the House Democratic whip.
Stay tuned to the end for their picks for Headliner of the Week about the timing of the legislative session and what can be done about it.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guest: Rep. Marcia Morey
Executive Producer: Laura Br...
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For the week of July 10, 2023, Under the Dome politics podcast host and News & Observer Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan talks with her politics team colleagues, legislative correspondent Kyle Ingram and summer intern Makiya Seminera, about three significant bills vetoed by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
All three impact transgender North Carolinians, from sports to health care to public schools.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guests: Kyle Ingr...
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July 3, 2023 • 22 mins
On this episode for the week of July 3, 2023, host Lars Dolder talks with politics team colleagues Korie Dean and Avi Bajpai about two landmark rulings delivered by the U.S. Supreme Court that have direct North Carolina connects.
Plus, hear about a prominent North Carolina Democrat who is eyeing a gubernatorial campaign, and Headliner of the Week.
Host: Lars Dolder
Guests: Avi Bajpai, Korie Dean
Executive Producer: Jordan Schrader...
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June 26, 2023 • 26 mins
For the week of June 26, 2023, N&O Capitol Bureau Chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan interviews N.C. House Republican Majority Leader John Bell about avoiding the camera, his pick for U.S. president and the lawsuit against House Speaker Tim Moore. Plus, hear Bell’s menu item of choice from the Legislative Cafeteria and stay tuned to the end for Headliner of the Week.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guest: Rep. John Bell (R)
Executive Producer...
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June 19, 2023 • 21 mins
On this episode for the week of June 19, 2023, host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan talks with N&O legislative correspondent Kyle Ingram about why bills about boards are nowhere near boring. That’s because they are about control over elections, separation of powers, the role of the governor and how the legislature is trying to shift power.
Plus, hear about another elections bill that would make a variety of changes to ...
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June 12, 2023 • 23 mins
On this episode for the week of June 12, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan, The News & Observer's state Capitol bureau chief interviewed Sen. Todd Johnson, a Union County Republican. They discuss budget priorities, including raises, and the timeline for passing the state budget. Johnson is on the Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee and chairs one of the subcommittees.
Listen to what Johnson’s favorite item in the Legislative Cafeteri...
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June 5, 2023 • 24 mins
On this episode for the week of June 5, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan talks with Washington, D.C., correspondent Danielle Battaglia about how North Carolina’s congressional delegation factored into the federal government’s debt ceiling dealings and deadline.
Plus, what to expect at the General Assembly this week, including final votes on legalizing online sports betting.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guests: Danielle Battaglia
Executive Producer: ...
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May 29, 2023 • 24 mins
On this episode for the week of May 29, 2023, state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan interviews Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina.
SEANC and Republican state agency leaders are the latest to sound the alarm about the impact of North Carolina state employees’ vacancy rate, which is is nearing 25%.
Stay tuned to the end for their picks for Headliner of the Week, both about rememb...
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May 22, 2023 • 23 mins
On the latest episode of Under the Dome, The News & Observer’s politics podcast, for the week of May 22, 2023, host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan talks with politics reporters Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Avi Bajpai about the abortion veto override, tension on the House floor and what it means for the atmosphere at the Legislative Building. Listen to audio from the final, dramatic moment that a supermajority of Re...
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May 15, 2023 • 24 mins
On the May 15, 2023 episode of Under the Dome, The News & Observer’s politics podcast, host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan interviews state Sen. Mary Wills Bode about the abortion bill veto and debate.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guest: Sen. Mary Wills Bode
Executive Producer: Jordan Schrader
Produced and edited by: Laura Brache
For more North Carolina government and politics news, subscribe to the Under the Dome politics new...
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May 8, 2023 • 25 mins
On the latest episode of Under the Dome, The News & Observer’s politics podcast, for the week of May 8, 2023, host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan discusses what’s happening in North Carolina politics with colleagues Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Avi Bajpai.
Vaughan, Perez Uribe and Bajpai talked about the House and Senate debate over Senate Bill 20, the abortion restrictions bill. From parliamentary procedure to the...
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