The Championship: What most embodies North Carolina politics?
Esse Quam Videri faces The John Locke Foundation in the final round of the Ultimate N.C. Politics Showdown
It all comes down to this.
After thousands of votes and some genuinely difficult choices, we’ve reached the final round in the Ultimate N.C. Politics Showdown bracket.
What started as a playful look at the personalities, moments, traditions, and phrases that shape North Carolina politics has evolved into something more: a thoughtful reflection on what truly defines this state’s political identity.
And now, just two contenders remain. Both are grounded in principle. Both value substance over flash. And both have made it clear that North Carolina politics, at its core, still takes ideas seriously.
The final matchup: (1) Esse Quam Videri vs. (11) The John Locke Foundation
One is a product of the last few decades, while the other hearkens back to ancient Rome. And yet, they share more than you might expect.
The John Locke Foundation has emerged as this bracket’s most remarkable story. Entering as an 11-seed, it knocked off towering political figures like Phil Berger and Jim Hunt, then edged out “college basketball rivalries” in a razor-thin Final Four matchup.
Yes, the Longleaf Politics audience leans Lockean, but that’s still no small feat. Its run through this bracket speaks to something important: the enduring influence of ideas, and the strength of a political culture that values substance, transparency, and good government.
Since its founding in 1990, the foundation has become the intellectual backbone of modern conservative governance in North Carolina, helping shape reforms on taxes, education, and regulation that continue to define state politics. It doesn’t operate through personality or power — but through ideas, research, and a long-game commitment to freedom.
Its entire mission feels like a direct extension of its competitor in this round: Esse Quam Videri. To be, rather than to seem.
The state motto, adopted in 1893, isn’t just etched in stone or printed on letterhead. It’s the quiet standard North Carolinians still use, often unconsciously, to judge their leaders. It reflects a political culture that’s plainspoken, skeptical of theatrics, and quietly ambitious.
In a bracket filled with flashier options — TV ads, bathroom scandals, barbecue fights— these two rose to the top because they tap into something deeper. They reflect a political culture that still prizes sincerity, restraint, and intellectual rigor, even in a loud and polarized world.
So what defines N.C. politics more?
An institution grounded in principle, driving modern conservative reform?
A century-old ideal that still shapes the way North Carolina sees itself?
This is a tough call. But that’s what makes it fun.
Polls are open for 24 hours. We’ll declare the champion tomorrow.
Choose wisely, and share with a friend.
