Do Politics Better Podcast

Meet Braxton Winston, the Democratic Candidate for Labor Commissioner

A fatal 2016 police shooting in Charlotte thrusted Braxton Winston onto the political/advocacy scene and eventually led him to make a successful bid for the Charlotte City Council a year later.  

Now, the Onslow County native is running statewide for Labor Commissioner as a Democrat.  Braxton discusses the race and why he feels his experience as a Union member makes him uniquely qualified to protect North Carolina workers.  

Plus, Skye and Brian preview a weeklong legislative session next week, a bombshell story from The Assembly, POTUS politics, a resignation, #TOTW, faking fall, and more.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.

Meet Luke Farley, the GOP Candidate for Labor Commissioner

Luke Farley is new to politics.  Yet, the Onslow County native surprised the NC political world when he won a heated Republican primary race for Labor Commissioner against a candidate with more name recognition and high profile endorsements from around the state.  

Luke discusses the primary campaign and the general election, including his experience as a labor attorney, and why he feels he's uniquely qualified to protect North Carolina workers.  

Skye and Brian also talk about Beth Wood's endorsement of a Republican in the race for her old job, an election complaint, state employee endorsements, new polls, TOTW, and more. 

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.  

Tim Kent's Time Machine Travels to When the Lt Governor Ran the Senate

There was a time when the Lieutenant Governor ran the NC Senate and had powers equal to the NC Speaker of the House.  Some would argue that from 1973-1988, the so-called second-in-command had more powers than even the Governor.  

Tim Kent is the Executive Director of the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association and he was a reporter at WRAL when the LG was stripped of most legislative power in 1988 after a Republican won the position.  This is Tim's second visit to the podcast after he walked listeners through the overthrow of a sitting House Speaker, also in 1988.  

Plus, Skye and Brian discuss Rep. John Faircloth's resignation, Speaker Moore's schedule announcement, POTUS campaign updates, digital IDs, TOTW, Lil Jon, and more.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.  

NC GOP Chair Jason Simmons Wants to Keep the Conservative Party Going in '24

NC Republican Party Chairman Jason Simmons stops by the podcast to talk about the RNC Convention in Milwaukee, the Republican case against Vice President Kamala Harris, and his professional transition from Executive Director to Chairman of the NC GOP.  

The California native talks about growing up an Army kid, his move to South Carolina, managing campaigns, and his love of North Carolina, its barbecue, and the people.  

Plus, Skye and Brian talk about shifting and dynamic North Carolina polls, a new legislator named, medical debt relief, presidential politics in NC, NC tourism spending up again, Race of the Week, Tweet of the Week, and more.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.  

Rep. Garland Pierce, a Rural Democrat Who Keeps Winning

In his last visit to the podcast in February 2023, Rep. Garland Pierce had just won his 10th election to the NC House in a hard fought battle against a well funded Republican challenger.  In 2024, he's in another difficult and expensive fight to represent Hoke and Scotland Counties.  

In this special edition of the podcast, Rep. Pierce talks politics, his election, and how he leverages his votes on legislation to benefit his poor, rural district.   

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.  

Political Polling, Partisan Indexes & More with John Locke Foundation's Donald Bryson

Political polling has always been under public scrutiny, but the 2016 election took our skepticism to an all new level.  To help us understand polling, Skye and Brian sit down with John Locke Foundation CEO Donald Bryson, whose organization issues ten #ncpol polls each year.  

Plus, the podcast discusses Governor Cooper's exit from VP consideration, veto overrides, Republican House Caucus TV ad budget, Race of the Week, Tweet of the Week, and winning gold at the Olympics.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.  

The Dark Side of Politics with Political Operative Dan Crawford

Independent expenditures and c4s are an increasingly important yet misunderstood part of modern day politics. So what is an IE and a c4, and how do they function in a political ecosystem?  Veteran political operative Dan Crawford stops by the podcast to have a conversation about it.  

Plus, Skye and Brian unpack a wild week in NC politics, including Gov. Cooper Veepstakes, new members selected, staffing changes, Tweet of the Week, and more. 

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.  

House GOP Caucus Director Stephen Wiley is Bullish About 2024

Stephen Wiley has one job as the NC House Republican Caucus director:  Win elections so the GOP maintains control of the House.  The one-time Apple store employee talks about how the political landscape looks in 2024, the quality of candidates he's fielding versus those he's facing, and his take on the future of the Republican brand.  

Skye and Brian talk about a pair of General Assembly resignations, staff changes in the Senate, quarterly fundraising reports, CNBC's business rankings, Race of the Week, Tweet of the Week, camping, and more.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.  

 

NC Democratic Chair Anderson Clayton is the Life of the Party

This podcast episode is the first of two featuring conversations with the elected chairs of the Democratic and Republican parties in NC.  

NC Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton is everywhere it seems.  Following her on social media can be downright dizzying as she criss-crosses the state (and nation) as she pushes out her party's message.  

However, there is another side to the 26-year old Person County native and she opens up to Skye and Brian, including her father's vote for President Trump in 2016, the role her mother and late grandmother played in her life, and why she lets out a F-bomb now and then.  

With Skye traveling this week, NC Home Builders Association lobbyist Steven Webb joins Brian in unpacking the news, including the latest vetoes, the pending veto overrides, a rundown of bills that didn't make it, Sen. Jim Perry resigns, and Senate Republicans go big early in election ad-buys.   The two also discuss their latest visits to the doctor.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.  

Sen. Brent Jackson's Take on the Budget Impasse as Session (Kind Of) Wraps

Senate 'Big Chair' Brent Jackson is a featured guest one week after his House counterpart, Rep. Jason Saine, made his case for the House budget on the podcast.  

The Senate budget writer talks about the impasse with the House, the decision to go it alone with the budget after the House submitted its own, the Farm Act, watermelons and cantaloupes, and how he plans to spend the rest of his summer.  

Skye and Brian also break down the last days of session before we return in the fall, including veto overrides, constitutional amendments, spending agreements, #TOTW, and more.  

The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.