Kelly McCullen is the host of State Lines, a weekly roundtable public affairs show that features political analysts, journalists and elected officials.  Kelly also serves as executive producer to several PBS-NC public affairs shows, including Side by Side with Nido Qubein and The NC Listening Project.   The Clinton native also talks about his start in broadcasting at a regional AM radio station in Sampson County, his path to TV journalism, and his witness to political change in the General Assembly over the last 20 years.   Plus, Skye and Brian talk about the devastation in western NC caused by Helene, 2 new court cases, new polling, #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.

Lobbyist Mike Carpenter is a fixture at the General Assembly in his role as General Counsel at the NC Home Builders Association.  However, many don't realize that it was Mike who started the government relations program at NCHBA in 1989 after a career prosecuting drug dealers in the NC Attorney General's Office.   Mike takes listeners all the way to 1971, when he was a college intern in the Lt. Governor's Office (one of the most powerful legislative offices in state government at the time), his stint a few years later working for U.S. Sen. Sam Irvin on the Watergate Committee, and surviving a plane crash in western NC in 1984.  This week's #TOTW also sets Skye and Brian up to discuss the bombshell news still rocking #NCPOL.   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.

Note from DPB:  This podcast was recorded the day before CNN broke the news about Lt. Governor Mark Robinson's alleged online pornography posts.  Skye and Brian record a brief intro before the podcast starts to give listeners a heads up to this fact and to comment about the gravity of the news. The podcast will talk more about the controversy next week.   Sen. Bob Brinson (R-Lenoir/Craven/Beaufort) is the newest member of the NC Senate, and after his first day of casting votes in the September legislative session, he sat down with Skye and Brian to talk about his life, military career, and public service, including the dramatic hours leading up to him filing for his Senate seat.   Then Sen. Benton Sawrey co-hosts the podcast with Brian as Skye enjoys a vacation trip.  The Johnston County Republican helps Brian understand the latest Carolina Journal Poll from the John Locke Foundation, with a focus on the four swing Senate races. They also discuss AI campaigning, nominee taking the seat of the late Rep. Kelly Alexander, a storm hits the coast, the Christian Action League is dissolving, #TOTW, NC State football, 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.

If you're a Republican embroiled in a media dust-up, Jonathan Felts is the guy to call.  Whether reporters are inquiring about a Kentucky Bourbon Trail or an election complaint has been filed, Felts is the guy who likes to take problems head on.   Felts talks to Skye and Brian about growing up in Davie County, his conservative upbringing, life in Washington, DC, his work on high profile campaigns, and what brought him back to North Carolina.     Plus, a veteran lawmaker dies, lots of action in the General Assembly, new polling, #TOTW, and a wild youth baseball game in Raleigh.   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.

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.

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.  

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 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.  

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 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.