5 N.C. political books I love (and what’s next on my list)

These books offer the kind of insight you can’t find in headlines or history books

You’ve probably noticed this by now, but when I write about North Carolina politics, I like to bring in a little history. In a fast-growing state, there are a lot of people who don’t have enough context to understand what’s happening now.

But it’s also easy to forget that the past had texture. You might read a few paragraphs about an event in a modern news article, or skim through a high-level overview in a textbook. But that doesn’t capture how it really felt. These things played out slowly, over time, shaped by real people with competing ambitions, half-formed ideas, and, occasionally, a stroke of brilliance.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot over the past few weeks as I’ve written my newspaper columns. I knew that Robert Morgan resigned as attorney general to run for Senate in 1974. But I couldn’t find much about why. His speeches were vague. The background was thin. Fortunately, I was able to talk to Rufus Edmisten, who lived it — and it brought the whole era into sharper focus.

Then I was writing about JetZero and the big ambitions for Piedmont Triad International airport. My first instinct was to be skeptical. But I kept wondering: Was RTP met with the same skepticism at the start? That project obviously paid off.

Finding the answer to questions like that is where political books come in. Done well, they fill in the gaps — not just with facts, but with feeling. I especially like autobiographical accounts. They’re inherently self-flattering, sure, but hearing how people involved experienced the moment is invaluable. Second-best is a well-written biography.

Here are a few of my favorites so far

• “That’s Rufus” by Rufus Edmisten: A gem of a memoir that reads like a dispatch from a North Carolina that doesn’t quite exist anymore. It’s part old-school storytelling, part inside baseball on the one-party era in Raleigh. Funny, warm, and sharp — much like Rufus himself. He told me last week he’s working on a follow-up, and I’ll be the first in line to buy it.

• “Keeper of the Public Purse” by Harlan Boyles: Not exactly a beach read, but if you’re serious about understanding North Carolina government, it’s essential. Boyles was treasurer for 24 years, and the book shows just how seriously he took the job. I picked this up after hearing former state treasurer Dale Folwell mention it, and it’s worth the time.

• “Catalyst: Jim Martin and the Rise of North Carolina Republicans” by John Hood: A double feature of N.C. conservatism — John Hood on Jim Martin, the state’s only two-term Republican governor. Martin helped lay the intellectual and electoral foundation for modern GOP governance, and this book shows how.

• “The Rise and Fall of the Branchhead Boys” by Rob Christensen: The definitive account of populist firebrand Kerr Scott. Essential if you want to understand the shifting currents of power in 20th-century North Carolina.

• “Jim Hunt: A Biography” by Gary Pearce: Pearce is a true believer, so this isn’t the most balanced book — but Hunt was “governor for life” for a reason. Anyone serious about N.C. politics needs to understand him.

Here’s what’s next up on my list

They’re not classic beach reads, but I’m looking forward to diving into these.

• “Businessman in the Statehouse” by Gov. Luther Hodges: After seeing the push to turn PTI into the next Research Triangle, I figured I should go back to the source. Hodges presided over RTP’s early days — and wrote the book on it.

• “Righteous Warrior” and “Here I Stand”: I’ve got a knowledge gap on Jesse Helms, and these two titles are next up. Helms may have operated on the national stage, but his roots and rise are pure North Carolina.

Books that still need to be written

• A biography of Pat McCrory: Love him or hate him, McCrory had one of the most consequential and polarizing governorships in recent memory. I think every N.C. governor deserves a biography, and McCrory is no exception. There’s no time like the present to write it. If he’s interested, I’d be happy to do it — will one of you give me a warm introduction?

• A chronicle of North Carolina’s last conservative Democrats: Tony Rand, Marc Basnight and their cohort shaped modern North Carolina just as much as the conservatives who followed them. Their story deserves telling, too.

There’s a reason history books don’t get written in real time. But the best ones — especially the state-level political books — provide a kind of strategic depth you can’t get any other way. If you want to win in North Carolina politics, or even just understand it, you’ve got to read between the lines.

What would you add to any of these lists? Hit reply or leave a comment to send your recs my way.

Quick hits

I was out of town last week, but I did have a column publish in the newspaper while I was out.

• Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page is gaining traction by running as the anti-Berger. But being a foil only gets you so far. If he doesn’t pivot from protest to policy, he risks undermining his own momentum. Read it here: Candidate tries risky approach in bid to topple NC’s most powerful lawmaker

At a premium

Thom Tillis finally made his case — just not to North Carolina

There’s no way Josh Stein’s approval ratings stay this high

Important reads

• The Right’s Foreign-Policy Divide: Restraint vs. Maximalism (National Review)

• The Man vs. The Brand: The Truth about the Duality in Politics (Political Hangover)

• Why the Working Class Preferred Obama (The Liberal Patriot)

• What a Lawsuit Involving a Top Legislator Reveals About the Hemp Industry (The Assembly)

Top spenders on social media last week

With the One Big Beautiful Bill passing, there’s a whole lot less spending over the past week. All of those tens of thousands of dollars spent on green energy incentives disappeared. Notably, the Sports Betting Alliance is also taking a break from its advocacy against raising taxes on gambling.

There was not any meaningful spending last week on YouTube.

Question of the week