An ode to the John Locke Foundation

The influential conservative think-tank is the winner of the Ultimate N.C. Politics Showdown

I’ll be honest: I didn’t expect a think tank to win the bracket. But after thousands of votes, the John Locke Foundation has emerged as the champion of the Ultimate N.C. Politics Showdown.

It was a thoughtful, close-run final matchup, just as it should be. Because Locke’s brand of influence isn’t flashy or viral. It’s patient. Principled. And in an era of political chaos, remarkably rare.

A pillar of serious conservatism

Founded in 1990, the John Locke Foundation was built to advance the enduring values of liberty, personal responsibility, free enterprise, and limited government. It’s named for an Enlightenment philosopher, but it’s never been about abstractions.

Locke is in the trenches of state policy. Its analysts, journalists, and scholars shape legislation, brief lawmakers, testify in committee, and publish sharp, serious work every single day. Yes, the foundation absolutely makes headlines, but not through showmanship — through intellectual rigor, clarity of thought, and consistent …