North Carolinaโs U.S. Senate race was expected to shatter records. So far, the moneyโand the intrigueโhave gone elsewhere.
Christopher Cooper
Christopher Cooper is the Madison Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs at Western Carolina University, where he also directs the Haire Institute for Public Policy. His most recent book is Anatomy of a Purple State: A North Carolina Politics Primer.
The Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Decision Doesn’t Mean Much for N.C.โYet
The state has already certified this year’s primaries, but legislators could face fewer restrictions in the next round of redistricting.
They Called Their Shot: The Babe Ruth Era of Redistricting Is Here
GOP leaders appear to have achieved their goal of shifting a congressional district from swing to reliably Republican.
Democrats Are Losing Members in N.C. But Are the Republicans Gaining?
Much has been made of the decline in registered Democrats. But who it’s benefiting is more complicated.
Democratsโ Long Shot Hope in the Mountains
Could the 11th district be Democratsโ best hope to pick up a U.S. House seat in 2026? Some think itโs not out of the question.
Why Thom Tillis Shouldnโt Worry About the Primary
Trump and his advisers have bashed the N.C senator. A political scientist explains why their efforts to replace him are almost certain to fail.
The Short Life and Quiet Death of Ranked-Choice Voting in North Carolina
Ranked-choice voting is now the hottest electoral reform in the U.S. We tried and quickly abandoned it 16 years ago. Why?
5 Takeaways on Redistricting
Hereโs what was both surprising and unsurprising in the new proposed district maps Republicans released last week.
Who Can Beat Madison Cawthorn?
The young congressman has survived all manner of negative headlines, but in the end his own dalliance with another district might have opened a path to defeat.
Getting What We Pay For
How North Carolinaโs legacy of a โcitizen legislatureโ endures, with far-reaching effects on the state and its General Assembly.



