Top Races to Watch in 2026
16 More Races to Watch in 2026
Ahead of the midterms, we broke down the North Carolina races that are expected to be competitive, consequential, or interesting—or all three. Here are the rest of our top 26 for ’26.
Epiphany on a Plane
How an oncologist’s sci-fi-inspired insight, layoffs at a pharma giant, and the unique culture of Research Triangle Park birthed a major cancer innovation.
State House Candidate Owns Undisclosed Property Being Used for Video Gambling
Lee County Republican Charles Taylor is listed as the owner of a property that hosts video gambling that was not disclosed on ethics forms.
2026 N.C. Election Guide: Who’s On Your Ballot
The Assembly’s voter guide gives you the information you need to know heading to the polls this primary season.
Politics
Dave Boliek Says He’s Focused on Auditing, But All Eyes Are on the Election
The state auditor declined to comment on his political ambitions while vowing voters won’t see significant changes at the polls this year.
What to Expect When Lawmakers Return to Raleigh to Tackle Gas Prices
Lawmakers hope to put a temporary dent in fuel prices during a Wednesday special session.
A Local Government Watchdog Gets Serious
The Local Government Commission is putting teeth into its financial guidance for municipalities large and small.
Higher Ed
Fired UNC Civics Associate Dean Breaks His Silence on Investigation
David Decosimo objected to a Wall Street Journal editorial about UNC-Chapel Hill’s embattled civics school. The paper didn’t publish his response—which he says is part of the problem.
Michael Jordan Gives $10 Million to UNC’s School of Social Work in Honor of His Mom
The basketball superstar’s gift is the largest in school history. It will support master’s students and international work.
New UNC System Faculty Chair Wants ‘Best Practices’ for Shared Governance
UNC Asheville music professor Toby King enters his role as chair of the UNC System Faculty Assembly after a contentious year.
Health
Wake County Commissioners Green-light WakeMed-Atrium Merger
After four months of public deliberation and some additional concessions from the state’s largest hospital system, commissioners voted 5-2 for changes that will allow the deal to go through.
The Gig Is Up: UNC Health Does an About-Face on BidShift
The hospital system’s plan to make nurses bid against each other for extra shifts was abandoned after a social media firestorm.
ECU Health May Have Found a Tool to Reduce Childbirth Risks: Wristbands
Nearly 50 N.C. hospitals have begun distributing the wristbands as reminders of the life-threatening risks after birth.
Culture
The Belichick Experiment Had to Happen
UNC might have hired the wrong coach, but by investing more in football, it’s well positioned to thrive in the next round of TV-driven conference changes.
The Incident at Little River
The brutal crime that catalyzed the LGBTQ movement in North Carolina has never been fully chronicled—until now.
Lake Lure’s Brief, Bizarre Chapter as the Headquarters of a Model Cult
Residents recall the far-out happenings at a lakefront compound featured in an HBO docuseries about a doomsday cult.
From Our Network
Durham Tech Child Care Academies Draw New Teachers, But Workforce Gaps Persist
The Early Educator Academy offers a streamlined path for child care workers to earn a credential in two months. Demand is high, but the program remains small.
Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Says it Worked with ICE on Traffic Checkpoint
A sheriff’s spokesperson said deputies arrested two people on drug charges on September 24. An immigration advocacy group says more people were detained.
School Board Expands Choice Program, Rejects Moving Spanish Immersion
The Cumberland County Board of Education approved a series of changes to its school choice program Thursday, though a proposal to move a Spanish immersion program failed.
A Dialogue on What’s Next for Greensboro
A diverse crowd came out for an event meant to discuss Greensboro’s assets, its challenges and their solutions.
Cary Town Council Wants to Preserve Town-Owned Downtown Properties as Natural Space
The Cary Town Council is opting not to sell the properties purchased under former town manager Sean Stegall.
What It Takes to Keep History from Fading, Shriveling, or Molding
Talking with Meg Brown, Exhibits Coordinator at Duke Library, about the three Declaration of Independence copies on display in Durham this fall.
Featured Stories
What the Duke Lacrosse Case Says About Roy Cooper
The Senate candidate won praise for declaring three players innocent as AG in 2007. Critics wish he’d done more for other defendants.
Greg Bovino’s Last Stand
North Carolina native Greg Bovino was known for being theatrical and hyperaggressive. Those traits just cost him his job.
The State of Our State
Republicans took control of the General Assembly 15 years ago and have largely dictated the policy agenda ever since. Are we better off?
The Enduring Hazards of College Hazing
Administrators have worked for years to eliminate fraternity hazing. But we found more than 1,500 pages of records showing it continues.
Hurricane Helene Washed His Wife Away From Their Mobile Home. Now New Residents Live on the Same Land.
Residents of a riverfront trailer park have lost homes and loved ones in multiple storms. A policy gap puts mobile home residents in harm’s way again and again.
Whistleblower Pushes to Regulate Controversial Organ Retrieval Technique
A North Carolina surgeon has raised concerns about an innovative procedure that reanimates a dead body to enable organ transplants.
Lost and Found
Meet the teams working to reunite people with mementos they lost during Hurricane Helene.
If You Build It, Will They Come?
New charter schools are struggling to enroll enough students to stay solvent. One High Point school’s implosion shows the consequences.
How Tupac Came to Rest in North Carolina
The cremated remains of the rapper, still omnipresent three decades after his death, now lie in a Lumberton grave.
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Lesson in Civics
The School of Civic Life and Leadership’s hiring battle is part of a long-running rupture over the mission of similar efforts.
From ‘Superstar’ Cop to Drug Kingpin
A talented police officer busted drug rings along I-85. Then he bewildered everyone who knew him by becoming a drug trafficker himself.
How North Carolina Officials Kept the Truth About a Police Shooting Hidden
In 2019, a state trooper killed Brandon Webster claiming self defense. Evidence contradicted that account but wasn’t made public—until now.
A Tale of Two Six: J. Cole’s Fayetteville
A native son, a homecoming-inspired final album, and how Fayetteville—if only for a weekend—became the center of the hip-hop universe.
Transgender State Workers Are Facing Whiplash
The state’s health insurance plan no longer covers gender-affirming care, which has left some employees in limbo.
I’ve Seen How the Neo-Nazi Movement Is Escalating. You Should Worry.
A reporter gets a first-hand look at how the ‘militant accelerationism’ movement operates.
