Sweet 16: The Ultimate N.C. Politics Showdown

Some favorites fell, some underdogs advanced. Now the real battles begin

We've narrowed the field, and now we’re down to the Sweet 16. All of our one-seeds are still in the game, but there have been some true Cinderella stories, as well. And three matchups ended in a tie, with a coin flip needed to decide the winner. That’s March madness for you.

Jim Hunt and Marc Basnight were always on a collision course, but I did not see seersucker suits and COVID lockdowns making it this far.

Let’s break down the new matchups, then you can cast your votes. We’re moving a little faster in these later rounds, with voting open for one day only.

Power Players Region

(1) Jim Hunt vs. (4) Marc Basnight

Two titans of Democratic power go head-to-head. Hunt shaped the party from the governor’s mansion, while Basnight controlled it from the legislature. One built the system, the other mastered it — who was more dominant?

(2) Jesse Helms vs. (11) The John Locke Foundation

Helms wrote the modern conservative playbook, using attack ads, a national fundraising machine, and populist messag…