Bonus show! Travis and Laura sat down with Gerry Cohen, the long-time lawyer to the North Carolina General Assembly with a photographic memory. We’d say he’s forgotten more about North Carolina law and politics than most people will ever know, but he doesn’t forget. Make time for this fascinating conversation about Cohen’s 40 years in North Carolina politics, his life and his love of long distance train travel. This is a podcast only interview edition of The Wrap. Learn more about your ad choice...
Oct 05, 2022•38 min
Topics covered include Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Medicaid deal no closer, no tax break on student debt relief, and our new election education project, NC Votes 101. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 23, 2022•15 min
Travis and Bryan return to break down the week that was in North Carolina politics. We’re finally getting a U.S. Senate debate. Bet on abortion being a major topic. Lawmakers discussed the state’s slow rebuild from Hurricane’s Matthew and Florence this week, and there are some glaring, fixable, issues. Plus: A who’s who of the GOP’s extreme right wing will be in North Carolina next weekend, we’ve got multiple state Supreme Court election forums for voters to consume and Travis provides a CONVOLU...
Sep 16, 2022•22 min
Laura and Travis gather again to break down the week that was in North Carolina politics and to ponder: Are all these big wins on economic development a sign that divided government is a good thing for North Carolina? Plus: Updates from key Republican leaders on Medicaid expansion (spoiler alert: don't hold your breath at least until after the November elections) and tidbits from around the world of North Carolina government and politics, most of which you won't find anywhere else. Learn more ab...
Sep 09, 2022•24 min
We're heading to the home stretch, folks, and the post-Labor Day campaign season boom is set to begin. In this week's Wrap Bryan and Travis discuss North Carolina's U.S. Senate race, the 13th Congressional District, the Republican push to win super majorities in the state General Assembly and the Leandro case, which was before the state Supreme Court this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 02, 2022•27 min
Topics on The Wrap this week include abortion, Medicaid expansion, state supreme court ruling on amendments, the lieutenant governor's book, election rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 26, 2022•24 min
In this week's wrap, Bryan Anderson and Paul Specht discuss the Green Party's efforts to get on the 2022 ballot, potential new rules for election observers and a public spat between Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 12, 2022•20 min
Laura and Travis gathered once again to discuss the week that was in North Carolina politics. We're three months from election day. Will there be any debates in North Carolina's U.S. Senate race? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 05, 2022•22 min
It was a quiet week in North Carolina politics, which means we’ve only got three significant lawsuits to discuss: One on voting, one about whether you’re allowed to lie in campaign ads and one on abortion. Plus: An update on Medicaid expansion talks, and why Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson says that, if he had to do his own taxes, he’d be “going to jail.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 29, 2022•25 min
After a week’s hiatus, The Wrap is back to break down the week that was in NC politics. Travis and Bryan lay out the latest in the fight over abortion rights, including Attorney General Josh Stein’s refusal to back the state’s 20-week abortion ban. We dive into community college and state university system politics, congressional votes on contraception and marriage rights and the sad, mysterious death this week of former NC NAACP President Anthony Spearman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...
Jul 22, 2022•24 min
The NC Senate’s top leader, Sen. Phil Berger, sat down with WRAL News this week to discuss the legislative session that recently ended and policies voters can expect if they elect more North Carolina Republicans this November. A list of topics in the 45-minute interview, along with approximate end times for those topics: Medicaid expansion (8:30) Abortion (14:50) Transportation (17:00) Guns (21) Governing (23:30 The 2024 governor’s race (26:35) Schools and LGBTQ issues (30:10) The Pandemic and p...
Jul 09, 2022•46 min
In this week's wrap, Laura Leslie and Bryan Anderson discuss which bills stalled during the legislative session, including legalizing online sports gambling and medical marijuana. They also discuss how state lawmakers voted to keep hemp legal in North Carolina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 01, 2022•16 min
In this week’s WRAL Laura and Travis break down a seemingly uneventful week at the state legislature and find it was surprisingly busy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 17, 2022•24 min
A long week in North Carolina politics and a long Wrap to get you caught up. Travis and Bryan talk elections, guns and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s recent comments on men, women, churches and leadership. Plus: A rundown of the bills that moved this week at the North Carolina General Assembly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 10, 2022•26 min
Laura and Travis discuss North Carolina lawmakers considering legalizing medical marijuana, the Parents' Bill of Rights, Medicaid expansion and the gas tax rebate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 03, 2022•18 min
Laura and Travis discuss two bills moving forward in the North Carolina Senate: The continuing debate over Medicaid expansion and a controversial bill that would ban teaching of LGBTQ issues to the state's youngest students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 26, 2022•18 min
Laura and Paul look back at North Carolina's primary election results and the big, outside money and media strategies that moved them, and look ahead at the session getting underway next week and some of the pressures lawmakers will be under to come up with higher raises for state employees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 20, 2022•21 min
Saturday marks the final day to vote early in the May 17 primary elections. WRAL capitol bureau chief Laura Leslie and WRAL state government reporter Travis Fain discuss races to watch, predictions for the 13th District, the state Carbon Plan, broadband funds, prison air conditioning, Gov. Roy Cooper's budget and they preview the upcoming legislative session. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 13, 2022•25 min
On this week’s edition of The Wrap, Laura and Travis talk through the ramifications of the U.S. Supreme Court’s looming abortion ruling, what to expect from the coming state legislative session and, yes, U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s sex life. We’re sorry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 06, 2022•18 min
WRAL capitol bureau chief Laura Leslie and WRAL state government reporter Bryan Anderson discuss a new GOP-funded attack ad, which calls Rep. Madison Cawthorn a liar. They also discuss Cawthorn bringing a loaded gun to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and accusations he's involved in insider trading. Laura and Bryan also discuss how early voting started this week in North Carolina ahead of the May 17 primary election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 29, 2022•14 min
Laura and Bryan break down visits from the current and previous president, a poll of North Carolina voters, a debate in the GOP Senate primary race, school funding and Mark Meadows in the news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 15, 2022•20 min
The former president is bringing his rally and endorsement power to play in some North Carolina Congressional races. Laura and Travis break down that influence and the moderate GOP resistance to it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 08, 2022•17 min
Bryan and Laura discuss a candidate's comments, job creation and the story occupying all of North Carolina: Duke and UNC in the Final Four. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 01, 2022•18 min
The lieutenant governor's youthful decision became an issue this week in a campaign season that is heating up in NC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 25, 2022•24 min
Mark Meadows' voter registration could get him in legal trouble, while the road to legal weed in NC gets a little longer. Laura and Travis explain on The Wrap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 18, 2022•16 min
In this week’s Wrap Travis and Laura break down the end of the state’s longest legislative session, ever. Is it time to go full-time? Should lawmakers get bigger salaries? They also discuss Gov. Roy Cooper’s decision to endorse in a Senate Democratic primary … against the incumbent. They talk about former Congressman Mark Meadows’ voter registration issues and, of course, the state’s most famous 26-year-old unlicensed driver, Congressman Madison Cawthorn, makes an appearance, too. Learn more abo...
Mar 11, 2022•18 min
WRAL's capitol bureau chief Laura Leslie and state government reporter Bryan Anderson talk about who's running for what districts, what's ahead for NC's maps at the US Supreme Court, potential veto overrides and the state's new Russian vodka ban in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 05, 2022•21 min
Travis and Bryan break down the week that was in North Carolina politics. The state Supreme Court finalized North Carolina's election maps ... probably. Candidate filing re-opened, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson visited sunny Orlando and a new dark money group popped up in General Assembly politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 25, 2022•23 min
Laura and Travis chat about - what else? - North Carolina's ongoing redistricting process. Plus a little bit about the start to formal Medicaid expansion discussion, the state's current and looming nursing shortage and the politics of mask mandates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 18, 2022•22 min
