On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum talks with Lucille Sherman of Axios Raleigh and WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell about U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis dropping out of the U.S. Senate race and the wild “ending” to the legislative session this week. In a recent statement, Tillis said his decision was motivated by his desire to spend time with his family and his displeasure with “partisan gridlock,” criticizing what he says is a lack of “independent thinking” in Washington...
Jul 02, 2025•41 min
North Carolina’s new top public health official, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Dev Sangvai joins Tying it Together host Tim Boyum to discuss the latest public health news, the future of health care, nurse shortages and more. Tim also asks him just why the healthcare system is so difficult to understand for so many, including him. "Nobody would build it the way we currently have it if we had to start all over. But I think now we have a $5 trillion healthcare enterpris...
Jun 25, 2025•31 min
This is part two of a two-part series covering ten years since the deadly shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. With a victim’s brother, Spectrum News 1’s Tim Boyum returned to Charleston to visit the church. Although much is different, the pain remains. Malcolm Graham’s sister, Cynthia, was one of the nine murdered in the church basement. Boyum and Graham walked around Charleston visiting the church and a library where she was once a librarian. They also visit a bookstore in Char...
Jun 18, 2025•29 min
It’s been 10 years since the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in Charleston. It happened on June 17, 2015. With the victim’s brother, Spectrum News 1’s Tim Boyum returned to Charleston to visit the church. Although much is different, the pain remains. "I miss her. But we're celebrating, not how she died, but how she lived," Malcolm Graham said. His sister, Cynthia was one of the nine murdered in the church basement. Boyum and Graham walked around Charleston, visiting the church, a library wher...
Jun 17, 2025•36 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum tackles one of the biggest and most talked about issues in North Carolina — traffic. As a growing state, we are seeing all kinds of improved roads and many new designs, including roundabouts, diamond interchanges, and beyond. N.C. State is a hotbed for a lot of the research that goes into these decisions. This week, Dr. Daniel Findley, Associate Director for the Institute of Transportation Research and Education at N.C. State, joins Tim...
Jun 11, 2025•36 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein joins host Tim Boyum in the studio to go in-depth about his life and talk politics of the day. We learn what it’s like to live in the executive mansion, his father’s role in opening the state’s first integrated law firm, how he met the first lady. The two then transition to politics, discussing major issues like Helene’s impacts, current recovery efforts and the state budget. We also learn about his proposal to change FE...
Jun 04, 2025•34 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum tackles the debate over North Carolina’s one of a kind Innocence Inquiry Commission. Since 2007, it has exonerated 16 people, many serving over 20 years in prison for crimes they did not commit. However, the state Senate wants to cut its funding. The commission’s leader Laura Pierro joins Tim to discuss how it works and why she thinks the state must continue funding it.
May 28, 2025•41 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum is joined by former state superintendent of public instruction Dr. June Atkinson. She made history as the first woman elected for the position and held it from 2005 through 2016. This month, after six months of court drama, the nation’s final 2024 race ended with State Supreme Court Associate Justice Allison Riggs being sworn in. While many people today might think it was one of the longest delayed races ever, think again. It was 20 yea...
May 21, 2025•41 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum talks with Karen Brinson Bell, the recently removed executive director of the North Carolina Board of Elections. A new law passed last week enabled Republicans to select a new board, which then appointed a former Republican attorney general candidate and general counsel to the Republican house speaker, rather than her. Brinson discusses that decision, the board denying her the chance to give last remarks, leading state elections through...
May 14, 2025•49 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum talks with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley. The North Carolina native was just appointed to a FEMA Review Council. That council will take a closer look at the future of the often-criticized emergency management agency. President Trump criticized the agency’s response in western North Carolina after Helene devastated the area. Instead, he and other leaders believe there should be a new way of funding after natural ...
May 07, 2025•25 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum sits down with Congressman Tim Moore. He’s in his first term after breaking a record as the longest serving House Speaker in North Carolina legislative history. The Republican recently visited the DMZ, separating North and South Korea. He explains his time there, including his reasons for being there and how it affected his foreign policy perspective. Later, he discusses tariffs, FEMA and Western North Carolina recovery from Hurricane H...
Apr 30, 2025•30 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, nationally known journalist from The Atlantic, David Graham, joins host Tim Boyum to discuss his new book. The Durham based journalist just released his first, “The Project: How Project 2025 is Reshaping America”. Project 2025 is a 900-page document of policies drawn up by a group of conservative people, some in Trump’s first administration, and the Heritage Foundation. It includes how to make independent agencies respond to the president, move employ...
Apr 23, 2025•29 min
Our guest this week is new State Auditor Dave Boliek. His job is to look at state and local entities and audit them to make sure tax dollars are being spent in the way the General Assembly appropriates them. The state auditor’s primary goals include covering a financial audit, economy and efficiency audit and program result audit. The Republican joins host Tim Boyum to discuss the position and high-profile issues he plans to tackle, including the DMV, elections and the Department of Government E...
Apr 16, 2025•33 min
On this week’s episode, Tim asks, where’s the money? Recently, local leaders went to the White House pleading for money from the federal government to help the area recover from Helene. The federal government has promised more than $9 billion in a bill passed by Congress, but months later very little of that money has reached western North Carolina. Why? Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers and Avery County Commissioner Dennis Aldridge were two of the leaders who made the trip and join Tim to talk about th...
Apr 09, 2025•35 min
On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum talks with North Carolina State Senator Jay Chaudhuri. The Wake County Democrat discusses his parents’ background as immigrants from India and the impact it had on his life. He also explains the connection between his upbringing and his dedication to public service. Later, the two talk about serving as a member of the minority party, a bill he filed in wrestler Ric Flair’s name and another bill that would ban student cell phones in scho...
Apr 02, 2025•37 min
In the middle of March Madness, host Tim Boyum brings on an old friend and political journalist who just released a book on the history of the so-called “blue bloods” of college basketball. Jeff Tiberii is a host of Due South on WUNC radio, but he also just released the book “The Magnificent Seven: College Basketball’s Blue Bloods.” It’s a fascinating look at the history of these influential teams but also some incredible stories about the people who make it so special. We hope you enjoy this ti...
Mar 26, 2025•36 min
On this week’s episode, host Tim Boyum and his guests discuss a recent study on the state of North Carolina elections. Low faith and trust in elections is widespread, but North Carolina’s elections are more successful than many other states, according to a study from cross-partisan organization North Carolina Fair Safe and Secure Elections. "One big takeaway we have is that early voting is working really well in North Carolina by any metric," Dr. Chris Cooper, from Western Carolina University, s...
Mar 19, 2025•31 min
On this week’s episode, host Tim Boyum talks with author and retired political reporter Rob Christensen. The two discuss Christensen’s newly released book, Southern News, Southern Politics, which tells the fascinating story of the Raleigh News & Observer and its impact on shaping North Carolina’s political history. With a 45-year career at the newspaper, Christensen is undoubtedly an expert on its modern history. But the stories go back to the 1800s when the publisher was involved heavily in...
Mar 12, 2025•37 min
In an exclusive interview five years after Covid, host Tim Boyum speaks with the woman who guided North Carolina through the pandemic. Dr. Mandy Cohen reveals the challenges, the successes, and even threats she faced during the challenging time. She highlights working with Gov. Roy Cooper as a key reason for her success in North Carolina during COVID-19. “I learned so much from him and I’m so grateful that I was able to be on his team. We had a lot of special attributes that made us successful,“...
Mar 05, 2025•51 min
This week’s episode of Tying it Together features an interview with Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, arguably North Carolina’s most influential politician, as a new legislative session begins. Host Tim Boyum and Sen. Berger openly discuss Helene’s mountain relief efforts, collaboration with new Gov. Josh Stein and house speaker Destin Hall, and other topics in the senator’s office. “I don’t know that when all is said and done that it’s going to end up any different,” Sen. Berger told Boyum ...
Feb 26, 2025•37 min
On this week’s episode, host Tim Boyum reconnects with Shelane Etchison . She was North Carolina’s first ever Congressional unaffiliated candidate to make it on the ballot. Independents aren’t a party, they aren’t a third party, they’re exactly as they sound — independent. Although she lost the election, she significantly outperformed all other non-major party candidates, exceeding expectations. “The burden for unaffiliated candidates to get on the ballot, I believe, is too high right now. The b...
Feb 19, 2025•27 min
Next year, North Carolina will host what is expected to be the most important and expensive U.S. Senate races in the country. This week, incumbent Thom Tillis’ consultant, Jordan Shaw, joins host Tim Boyum in studio to talk about the Tillis campaign. The two also talk about the impact President Trump has on candidates and Sen. Tillis’ potential Democratic opponents. "The best politicians are the ones who are able to thread the needle," Shaw told Boyum. "And that's a very small, small hole to thr...
Feb 12, 2025•38 min
On this episode of Tying it Together, North Carolina’s new House Speaker Destin Hall joins host Tim Boyum for a wide-ranging discussion about his new role and working with a new governor. At just 37, he’s the state’s youngest speaker ever, and he’s not afraid to be frank. Speaker Hall also goes in depth with Tim on the major topics of today like Hurricane Helene relief, immigration and much more. “If you’re here illegally and you’re committing crimes you gotta go,” he told Tim on the podcast. He...
Feb 05, 2025•39 min
On this week’s episode, host Tim Boyum talks with former Senior White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates. Bates, a North Carolina native and N.C. State grad, spent significant time in the White House with President Biden and on the campaign trail with him as well. He takes us behind-the-scenes of working in the high-pressure job, trips on Air Force One, Biden’s decision to get out of the race, and what he thinks Democrats should do next.
Jan 29, 2025•36 min
Attorney and former Democratic politician Wiley Nickel joins host Tim Boyum this week to talk about his time in Congress. Former congressman Nickel served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina’s 13th district from 2023 to 2025. He tells Tim why he was so concentrated on gerrymandering during that time. "Gerrymandering isn’t about the number of states, it’s about the number of districts carved up by politicians in each state," he said in one post . He also hints at a potential run for U.S...
Jan 22, 2025•34 min
On this week's episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum gives us a look at what we can expect from Washington politics in 2025. He spent several days there during the recent snowstorm, sitting down with three newly elected members of Congress from North Carolina: Rep. Pat Harrigan , Rep. Addison McDowell and Rep. Brad Knott . He also talks with Washington pundit Doug Heye , who graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1994. Later, he gets 2025 political previews from...
Jan 15, 2025•46 min
This week, Tim Boyum interviews top Republican strategist Paul Shumaker about his analysis of the 2024 elections, and their implications for the future. Shumaker has won five U.S. Senate races as a consultant and currently works for U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, who is up for reelection next year. Shumaker offered insights into the race, including thoughts on Governor Cooper’s possible run and potential 2028 gubernatorial candidates.
Jan 08, 2025•39 min
A Tying It Together tradition — Billy Warden and Brian Lewis join Tim for yet another hilarious, and somehow, informative, look at the year in politics and a look ahead to 2025. Billy Warden, chief strategy officer with RLF Communications, also sings his annual parody Christmas song. Brian Lewis, founder of New Frame, gives us some insight into what 2024 might mean for 2025. It’s always a fun to celebrate the holidays and year-end, especially after a rough-and-tumble election season....
Jan 01, 2025•47 min
On this week’s episode, we have a spirited debate over the words liberal and conservative. What does it mean to be liberal or conservative? Do those terms automatically connect to Democrat and Republican? This debate started during a recent TV segment between Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari and former mayor pro tem Braxton Winston, who also ran for Labor Commissioner this year. Sit back with your new presents, a cup of coffee, and see how you fit — or don’t — into these widely used terms...
Dec 25, 2024•41 min
In a recent surprise, North Carolina Senate Democrats announced a new leader that was not Dan Blue. Sen. Sydney Batch will take his place next year after a decade of different leadership. Sen. Batch joined host Tim Boyum to discuss her background in an incredibly successful family, working with her husband at their law firm, surviving breast cancer, and how she plans on leading Democrats much differently than her predecessor, and how she will get along with Sen. Phil Berger. “I have a lot to lea...
Dec 18, 2024•39 min
