Three state constitutional amendments could give the party a lasting policy legacy.
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. He is not related to Roy Cooper.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Roy Cooper’s Secret Sauce
The Democratic Senate candidate is campaigning on his rural upbringing, but his recipe for success is less remarkable than you might think.
Posted inPolitics & Government
In District 11, It’s Underdog v. Underdog
Jennifer Balkcom inherited the nomination in a district friendly to Republicans. But Democrat Jamie Ager has the money, time, and name.
Posted inPolitics & Government
The Billion-Dollar Election That Hasn’t Happened
North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race was expected to shatter records. So far, the money—and the intrigue—have gone elsewhere.
Posted inPolitics & Government
The Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Decision Doesn’t Mean Much for N.C.—Yet
The state has already certified this year’s primaries, but legislators could face fewer restrictions in the next round of redistricting.
Posted inPolitics & Government
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.
Posted inPolitics & Government
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.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Democrats’ Long Shot Hope in the Mountains
Could the 11th district be Democrats’ best hope to pick up a U.S. House seat in 2026? Some think it’s not out of the question.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Why Thom Tillis Shouldn’t 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.
Posted inElections
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?
