The trappings of power
No matter who holds the office, the State of the State address proves that the governor’s platform is unmatched in N.C. politics
Somehow I missed the fact that the North Carolina governor is referred to as “His Excellency.” But at the State of the State address last week, it felt fitting.
Not because of Josh Stein, nor what he had to say. It’s the office I’m talking about, and all the trappings that come along with it.
While not nearly as elaborate as the federal State of the Union, this biennial tradition still carries plenty of weight. There’s a certain gravitas that comes from speaking behind the Great Seal that you can’t match anywhere else in the state.
North Carolina has always bristled at aristocracy, but when it comes to political spectacle, we just can’t resist.
As for Gov. Stein’s speech itself, well, it really felt like two different ones. The first was an expansive, gracious discourse on what brings us together. Stein even praised a few Republican-led bills. But it then veered sharply into the partisan sniping we grew accustomed to in the Cooper era.
I broke down this split personality speech in The News & Observer/Charlotte Observer here: Josh Stein just couldn’t help himself in his State of the State address
I also wrote a column about House Speaker Destin Hall’s response to the address. It was a vigorous defense of conservative policies, and it met the moment. You can read it here: NC Republicans may be getting too comfortable with their success
But without the pomp and circumstance, a response is simply never going to be as powerful. A wise political operative used to tell me all the time, “You can’t out-governor a governor.”
All the more reason to seek the top job in a serious way.
Quick hits
Thank you to everyone who voted in the first round of The Ultimate N.C. Politics Showdown. It was a lot of fun to put the bracket together, and I can’t wait to see who wins. Lots of shocking upsets already, and second-round matchups are live now. Vote by clicking the link below.
Congrats to the Blue Devils on winning the ACC Tournament. But this year’s event really rubbed me the wrong way, enough to where I wrote a tweet thread about it. The biggest oversight: N.C. State wasn’t in the tournament at all. Apparently now that we’ve expanded to West Coast teams, we can’t fit all of them in the conference bracket. That ain’t right.
At a premium
Important reads
NC officials investigating threats to Supreme Court candidates (Anderson Alerts)
The Sorry State of U.S. Cities Is a Choice—A Really Bad One (The Liberal Patriot)
Dems’ own polling shows massive brand problem ahead of 2026 (Politico)
How North Carolina football landed a coaching legend in Bill Belichick (ESPN)
Top spenders on social media this week
Question of the week
Last week was all about teacher pay, and I asked you where you thought entry-level salaries should be. A clear plurality put the bar significantly higher than where it is right now.
$50,001 - $60,000: 47%
$40,000 - $50,000: 33%
$60,000+: 17%
Under $40,000: 3%
We won’t do a new poll this week since the Ultimate N.C. Showdown is ongoing. Don’t forget to cast your votes in the second round.