Under the Dome

Latest Episodes:

Primary primer: What to expect in NC primary ballots this election season Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

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 related to the 2020 election.

We also discuss the latest news from the N.C. Board of Elections and Wake County Board of Elections, as well as primary polling and legislative candidates.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guests:

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Video Producer: Kevin Keister

Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It’s sent to your inbox Tuesday to Friday and Sunday. Sign up here.

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 10 moments we’ll remember from 2023 in NC politics news Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

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 Carolina government and politics news, subscribe to the Under the Dome politics newsletter from The News & Observer at newsobserver.com/newsletters and NC Insider at ncinsider.com. Qualified business users are eligible for a short free trial of the daily NC Insider newsletter, as well as a demo account for our Insider Legislative Tracking service. Submit this form: t.co/2ivpV5NSuY

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parallels with Florida seen in political influence on NC higher ed Dec 11, 2023

Show notes

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who’s in and who’s out for Congress as candidate filing starts Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Filling up on NC candidates filing for election for Thanksgiving Nov 20, 2023

Show notes

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big leadership changes in local government, housing a key issue Nov 13, 2023

Show notes

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 that aren’t yet resolved and a parks bond that failed.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Tammy Grubb, Kristen Johnson, Mary Helen Moore

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Video and audio edited by: Kevin Keister

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Higher ed meets politics, plus the latest on statewide elections Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

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 about the latest in the Council of State races, and who is and isn’t running in 2024.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Avi Bajpai, Korie Dean

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Video by: Kevin Keister

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross talks about new congressional maps and DC drama Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

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 Democrats were given less favorable districts by Republicans state legislators who drew the maps.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Rep. Deborah Ross

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Video by: Kevin Keister

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A conversation with a Johnston County freshman lawmaker in the GOP supermajority Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

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 Republican votes in the gubernatorial and presidential primaries.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Sen. Benton Sawrey

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Video edited by: Kevin Keister

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Power, the environment and new state laws after veto overrides in NC Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

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: Kyle Ingram, Adam Wagner

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Videography: Kaitlin McKeown

Video and audio edited by: Kevin Keister

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices