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Does N.C. have a problem with out-of-state voters?

An analysis of mail-in ballots shows 19,000+ votes accepted from outside North Carolina with no obvious explanation for why

Oct 4 •

An interesting theory on why Democrats are losing voters

State party chair Anderson Clayton's idea has some merit, but I don't think it really explains what's happening

Oct 1 •

N.C.'s political state of play heading into 2026

There are so many unknowns, but here are the key factors I'm watching

Sep 28 •

Does Charlotte have enough judges?

More ADAs might not matter without judges and courtrooms

Sep 23 •

N.C. Democratic registrations drop over last two weeks

North Carolina mirrors a national trend, but it could be a blip

Sep 20 •

Mo Green’s technocratic plan misses the point of education

It’s not a plan for students — it’s a dashboard for looking busy

Sep 17 •

The strange rulebook of NC’s judicial campaigns

We elect judges in high-stakes contests, then bind them with ethics rules that punish candor and reward paperwork.

Sep 9 •

Running outside the club

The slate on every table at Judicialpalooza made the Republican appellate primary look settled. Then Judge Michael Byrne called me.

Sep 4 •

We just hit a subscriber milestone

Thank you, Longleaf readers, for your support. Here are a few words on what comes next.

Aug 28 •

What limited government actually means

Tillis reaches for the old conservative catchphrase, with hits and misses along the way.

Aug 22 •

I spent a month experimenting with AI video. Here's how smart campaigns will use it.

A month of trial and error shows where AI video can already give campaigns an edge — and where the hype still outpaces reality.

Aug 9 •

Gerrymandering just doesn’t hit like it used to

The redistricting wars made a lot of noise, raised a lot of money, and gave Democrats a message. That moment’s passed.

Aug 7 •

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