For the week of May 6, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan talks to Republican Sen. Vickie Sawyer and Democratic Sen. Natalie Murdock during our Under the Dome: Live! event at the N.C. Museum of History in downtown Raleigh. They discuss everything from the protesters at UNC to the law enforcement officers killed in Charlotte to transportation policy, the budget, this legislative session and the controversial bills passed last session. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Sens. Natalie Murdock and Vickie Sawyer Executi...
May 06, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 205
For the week of April 29, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan talks with fellow state politics reporters Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram about how the General Assembly budget process is already underway: you’ll hear audio from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget proposal and Senate leader Phil Berger’s reaction. You’ll also hear Republican Rep. Jason Saine’s take on child care funding, as that issue is also integral to this year’s budget process. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram Executive Produ...
Apr 29, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 204
For the week of April 22, 2024, host and News & Observer Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by fellow state politics reporter Avi Bajai and investigative reporter Tyler Dukes. Previewing the upcoming legislative session, they discuss potential bills addressing video lottery terminals and the state budget. Tied to the budget are the needs of the Judicial Branch and the troubled rollout of the eCourts system. Stay tuned until the end for their picks for Headliner of the Week. Host: Da...
Apr 22, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 203
This week on the Under the Dome politics podcast, host Dawn Vaughan and higher education reporter Korie Dean talk about the possibility of legislation that could defund diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public universities in North Carolina. After the break, we talk about the new copper dome and roof on the state Capitol building, and what Legislative Services Officer Paul Coble would like to happen, including the chances of getting some of the old copper. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Kor...
Apr 15, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 202
For the week of April 8, 2024, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team reporters Avi Bajpai and Danielle Battaglia to talk about a major issue at the state and national levels: immigration. The two have written stories about the issue that will publish this week. It’s part of a national series of stories that McClatchy newspapers is publishing on immigration. Bajpai has stories coming about detention requests that U.S. Immigration a...
Apr 08, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 201
For the week of April 1, 2024, Kyle Ingram fills in as week’s host for Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan and is joined by politics team colleagues DC correspondent Danielle Battaglia and state politics reporter Avi Bajpai. They talk about North Carolina’s perennial status as a "purple state" and what each party's campaign strategies may be to sway the vote. Plus, a shakeup at the Republican National Committee resulted in NC GOP Chair Michael Whatley taking the reins with Donald Trump’s support. ...
Apr 01, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 200
For the week of March 25, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan here is joined by a state lawmaker as guest: Rep. Maria Cervania, a Cary Democrat. Cervania is a freshman representative who previously served on the Wake County Board of Commissioners. She’s also the first Filipino person to serve in the General Assembly, elected in 2022 along with a historic wave of other Filipino Americans winning elections across the country. Cervania talked about how local and state government are “diametrically different,” ...
Mar 25, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 199
We are about a month out from the start of the 2024 legislative short session, which is always held during an election year, so that changes the tone of the entire session. First, it’s usually shorter not just by design of the work itself, since there’s a budget adjustment bill to pass, but also because lawmakers want to have time to go out and campaign. And the results of the primary earlier this month changes that up. Case in point, House Speaker Tim Moore, who’s a short-timer now and heading ...
Mar 18, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 198
For the week of March 11, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan is joined by fellow state politics reporters Avi Bajpai, Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Kyle Ingram. The four break down post-primary analysis of the N.C. Supreme Court and Court of Appeals primary elections, as well as General Assembly races. The legislative primaries had some surprises, and some races hinge on the final canvass to determine their outcomes. Plus, hear about the general election for attorney general. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: ...
Mar 11, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 197
In this post-primary bonus episode, originally recorded live on X (formerly Twitter), Charlotte Observer and News & Observer politics reporters share their biggest takeaways from Election Night: From some surprises in the Council of State primaries, to what last night’s results tell us about how NC’s congressional delegation might look different in 2025, to possible runoffs. This recording was edited from its original version for brevity and clarity. Featuring: Josh Bergeron, Danielle Battag...
Mar 06, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 195
For the week of March 4, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan is joined by fellow politics reporters Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram to discuss the latest fundraising numbers for the gubernatorial primary frontrunners and what it means for the general election. We also talk about the primary for attorney general, looks ahead to the probable candidates for the general election in that race, as well as lieutenant governor. Plus, legislative primary races to watch. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Avi Bajpai, Kyle ingram ...
Mar 04, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 195
fFor the week of Feb. 26, 2024, podcast host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan shares outtakes from a recent interview with State Treasurer Dale Folwell, a longshot candidate in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Folwell talks about his views on abortion restriction legislation, his primary opponent Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and what he thinks of former President Donald Trump. I also asked Folwell about how he would work with Republican legislative leaders as governor, and what he plan...
Feb 26, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 194
For the week of Feb. 19, 2024, host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan shares excerpts of a recent interview Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, who is running for governor. Hear Stein talk about the primary election, his friend and mentor Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, and his likely general election opponent: Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Josh Stein Executive Producer: Laura Brache Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newslet...
Feb 19, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 193
Ready or not, we’re days away from the North Carolina polls opening for the 2024 Primary Election. Early voting begins Feb. 15 with the primary on March 5. With that comes a deluge of information — often in the form of TV ads — about candidates, their positions and their endorsements. It can be hard for the average voter to discern who is behind the endorsements and how important they really are. To break it all down, McClatchy D.C. correspondent Danielle Battaglia joins Under the Dome, along wi...
Feb 12, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 192
On this latest episode for the week of Feb. 5, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan and N&O politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram talk about campaign finance reports, the U.S.-Mexico border and immigration policy, and much more. Stay tuned to the end for our picks for Headliner of the Week. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram Executive Producer: Laura Brache Video Producer: Kevin Keister Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep int...
Feb 05, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 191
On this latest episode for the week of Jan. 29, 2024, Avi Bajpai, Korie Dean, and Kyle Ingram talk about Lee Roberts, the new interim chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill, and some important discussions that took place at last week’s meeting of the UNC System’s Board of Governors. We also talk about recent developments in a legal challenge against one of the two major elections bills GOP lawmakers passed over Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto at the end of last year’s legislative session. Host: Avi Bajpai Guests:...
Jan 29, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 190
In mid-October, The News & Observer requested communications from all 170 members of the North Carolina General Assembly, after GOP state lawmakers moved to shield all former and current legislators from having to comply with the state’s public records law. Reporting this story involved several steps: filing initial requests, following up with lawmakers, reviewing and processing their records, and publication. Here’s a breakdown of what went into this story. Stick around after the break for ...
Jan 22, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 189
Snow is expected up in Washington, D.C., in the coming days, but it is unlikely to chill out the gridlock in Congress right now. Capitol Hill correspondent Danielle Battaglia explains the latest drama related to the impending federal government shutdown and what that means going forward. Yearning to be part of that congressional scene are several primary candidates who want to represent North Carolina. Will turnover mean more or less influence from the Old North State? We talk about that, plus t...
Jan 15, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 188
In our first episode of the new year, we bring you up to speed with a primary primer. Host Dawn Vaughan is joined by legislative team colleagues Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Kyle Ingram to talk about primary ballots. They both recently wrote about the top of the ticket, which will, in the North Carolina primary on March 5, include incumbent President Joe Biden as the only Democrat, and among Republicans, include former President Donald Trump, who faces various criminal and civil charges rela...
Jan 08, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 187
Our end-of-the-year Under the Dome podcast has the full News & Observer Capitol Press Corps team that covers the General Assembly. That’s host Dawn Vaughan, along with Avi Bajpai, Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Kyle Ingram. Listen to hear our list of 10 moments we’ll remember, and the conversation around each news story. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram, Luciana Pérez Uribe Guinassi Executive Producer: Laura Brache Video: Kevin Keister, Kaitlin McKeown For more North Caro...
Dec 18, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 186
In the latest episode, for the week of Dec. 11, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan talks with reporters Korie Dean and Makiya Seminera about political interference in higher education in North Carolina, and how that compares to Florida, another state that has had partisan influence in universities. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Korie Dean, Makiya Seminera Executive Producer: Laura Brache Recording: Kevin Keister, Kaitlin McKeown Video Producer: Kevin Keister For more North Carolina government and politics new...
Dec 11, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 185
In the latest episode, for the week of Dec. 4, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan talks with our Washington, D.C., correspondent Danielle Battaglia. They discuss what we know, and what we don’t, about who will file to run for Congress in North Carolina’s 14 U.S. House districts. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Danielle Battaglia Executive Producer: Laura Brache Video Producer: Kevin Keister For more North Carolina government and politics news, subscribe to the Under the Dome politics newsletter from The News &a...
Dec 04, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 184
In the latest episode, for the week of Nov. 20, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan talks about the latest in the run-up to candidate filing with N&O politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram. Stayed tuned until the end for our picks for Headliner of the Week, which include a Press Corps departure, how to pronounce Gov. Roy Cooper’s last name and a bit of Thanksgiving gratitude. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guests: Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram Executive Producer: Laura Brache Video Producer: Kevin Keister Fo...
Nov 20, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 183
For the week of Nov. 13, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan is joined by News & Observer colleagues Mary Helen Moore, who covers Durham; Tammy Grubb, who covers Orange County; and Kristen Johnson, who covers western Wake County. Big changes on the local government scene arrived with last week’s Election Day. Overall, the three areas still have a common major issue: the cost of housing. Listen to Moore, Grubb and Johnson talk about how housing and other issues played out in the elections, plus races tha...
Nov 13, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 182
For the week of Nov. 6, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team colleague Avi Bajpai and Korie Dean, who covers higher education. Even with the General Assembly out of session, there is still plenty of news in state government and politics to discuss. Both Bajpai and Dean have been covering the latest in HBCU funding. More higher education and politics crossover: why there have been additional appointments made to the UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State boards of trustees? We also talk abo...
Nov 06, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 181
In the latest episode, for the week of Oct. 30, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan sat down with U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, a Raleigh Democrat who just returned from quite the wild time in Congress this past month. Aside from the drawn out election of a Republican House speaker, the big news for the North Carolina congressional delegation, and potential candidates, was passage of new congressional district maps. Ross’ district changed a little but is still a safe blue seat for her in 2024, while other Democra...
Oct 30, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 180
In the latest episode, for the week of Oct. 23, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and host Dawn Vaughan sat down with state Sen. Benton Sawrey, a Johnston County Republican. Sawrey talks about his beginnings in politics, being a freshman in the supermajority party. He also talks about his first, unsuccessful run for state Senate, how he won in 2022 and why he’s not impacted by redistricting this year. Looking ahead to the 2024 elections, Sawrey also talks about who he sees getting R...
Oct 23, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 179
For the week of Oct. 16, 2023, News & Observer Capitol bureau chief and podcast host Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team colleague Kyle Ingram and environment and N&O climate change reporter Adam Wagner. Our discussion centers around power: veto overrides, boards and commission appointments, elections and the environment. The Republicans’ supermajority in the General Assembly gives them the ability to overturn veto after veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest:...
Oct 16, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 178
In the latest episode, for the week of Oct. 9, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team colleague Kyle Ingram and N&O investigative reporter Tyler Dukes to talk about redistricting and what it means. By the end of the week, the public might get to see some of the new maps drawn by lawmakers for the 2024 General Assembly and congressional races. Stay tuned after the break for our picks for Headliner of the Week. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Kyle Ingram, Tyler Dukes Executive Producer a...
Oct 09, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 177
It’s three months late, but today is the day for the long-awaited North Carolina state budget to become law. Dawn Vaughan here, The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief and host of Under the Dome. Along with the budget comes Medicaid expansion. So our guest for this week’s episode of the Under the Dome podcast for Oct. 2, 2023, is the man leading the major health care change. I talked with N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley in his office in the Adams Buildi...
Oct 02, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 175
