Under the Dome
Each week, the Under the Dome team at The News & Observer brings you the most in-depth analysis of topics in state government and politics for North Carolina. Learn more at newsobserver.com/dome
Episodes
May 13, 2024 • 21 mins
For the week of May 13, 2024 Dawn Vaughan talks with colleagues Avi Bajpai and Korie Dean about how the recent protests at UNC-Chapel Hill factor in to significant legislation moving through the General Assembly right now: the SHALOM Act and a mask bill.
You’ll also hear a clip from Senate leader Phil Berger about why he supports a new mask bill post-pandemic and in the wake of protesters wearing masks.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guest: A...
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For the week of May 6, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan talks to Republican Sen. Vickie Sawyer and Democratic Sen. Natalie Murdock during our Under the Dome: Live! event at the N.C. Museum of History in downtown Raleigh.
They discuss everything from the protesters at UNC to the law enforcement officers killed in Charlotte to transportation policy, the budget, this legislative session and the controversial bills passed last session.
Host: D...
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April 29, 2024 • 21 mins
For the week of April 29, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan talks with fellow state politics reporters Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram about how the General Assembly budget process is already underway: you’ll hear audio from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget proposal and Senate leader Phil Berger’s reaction. You’ll also hear Republican Rep. Jason Saine’s take on child care funding, as that issue is also integral to this year’s budget process.
...
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April 22, 2024 • 20 mins
For the week of April 22, 2024, host and News & Observer Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by fellow state politics reporter Avi Bajai and investigative reporter Tyler Dukes. Previewing the upcoming legislative session, they discuss potential bills addressing video lottery terminals and the state budget. Tied to the budget are the needs of the Judicial Branch and the troubled rollout of the eCourts system.
Stay tuned unt...
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April 15, 2024 • 20 mins
This week on the Under the Dome politics podcast, host Dawn Vaughan and higher education reporter Korie Dean talk about the possibility of legislation that could defund diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public universities in North Carolina.
After the break, we talk about the new copper dome and roof on the state Capitol building, and what Legislative Services Officer Paul Coble would like to happen, including the chances...
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April 8, 2024 • 19 mins
For the week of April 8, 2024, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team reporters Avi Bajpai and Danielle Battaglia to talk about a major issue at the state and national levels: immigration.
The two have written stories about the issue that will publish this week. It’s part of a national series of stories that McClatchy newspapers is publishing on immigration.
Bajpai has ...
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April 1, 2024 • 19 mins
For the week of April 1, 2024, Kyle Ingram fills in as week’s host for Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan and is joined by politics team colleagues DC correspondent Danielle Battaglia and state politics reporter Avi Bajpai. They talk about North Carolina’s perennial status as a "purple state" and what each party's campaign strategies may be to sway the vote.
Plus, a shakeup at the Republican National Committee resulted in NC GOP Ch...
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March 25, 2024 • 29 mins
For the week of March 25, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan here is joined by a state lawmaker as guest: Rep. Maria Cervania, a Cary Democrat.
Cervania is a freshman representative who previously served on the Wake County Board of Commissioners. She’s also the first Filipino person to serve in the General Assembly, elected in 2022 along with a historic wave of other Filipino Americans winning elections across the country. Cervania talked ab...
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March 18, 2024 • 20 mins
We are about a month out from the start of the 2024 legislative short session, which is always held during an election year, so that changes the tone of the entire session. First, it’s usually shorter not just by design of the work itself, since there’s a budget adjustment bill to pass, but also because lawmakers want to have time to go out and campaign.
And the results of the primary earlier this month changes that up.
Case in p...
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March 11, 2024 • 21 mins
For the week of March 11, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan is joined by fellow state politics reporters Avi Bajpai, Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Kyle Ingram. The four break down post-primary analysis of the N.C. Supreme Court and Court of Appeals primary elections, as well as General Assembly races. The legislative primaries had some surprises, and some races hinge on the final canvass to determine their outcomes. Plus, hear about the g...
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March 6, 2024 • 25 mins
In this post-primary bonus episode, originally recorded live on X (formerly Twitter), Charlotte Observer and News & Observer politics reporters share their biggest takeaways from Election Night: From some surprises in the Council of State primaries, to what last night’s results tell us about how NC’s congressional delegation might look different in 2025, to possible runoffs.
This recording was edited from its original version for ...
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March 4, 2024 • 19 mins
For the week of March 4, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan is joined by fellow politics reporters Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram to discuss the latest fundraising numbers for the gubernatorial primary frontrunners and what it means for the general election. We also talk about the primary for attorney general, looks ahead to the probable candidates for the general election in that race, as well as lieutenant governor. Plus, legislative primary ra...
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February 26, 2024 • 22 mins
fFor the week of Feb. 26, 2024, podcast host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan shares outtakes from a recent interview with State Treasurer Dale Folwell, a longshot candidate in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Folwell talks about his views on abortion restriction legislation, his primary opponent Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and what he thinks of former President Donald Trump. I also asked Folwell about how he would work ...
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February 19, 2024 • 17 mins
For the week of Feb. 19, 2024, host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan shares excerpts of a recent interview Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, who is running for governor. Hear Stein talk about the primary election, his friend and mentor Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, and his likely general election opponent: Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guests: Josh Stein
Executive Producer: Laura Brache
Want...
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February 12, 2024 • 19 mins
Ready or not, we’re days away from the North Carolina polls opening for the 2024 Primary Election. Early voting begins Feb. 15 with the primary on March 5. With that comes a deluge of information — often in the form of TV ads — about candidates, their positions and their endorsements. It can be hard for the average voter to discern who is behind the endorsements and how important they really are. To break it all down, McClatchy D.C...
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February 5, 2024 • 21 mins
On this latest episode for the week of Feb. 5, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan and N&O politics team colleagues Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram talk about campaign finance reports, the U.S.-Mexico border and immigration policy, and much more. Stay tuned to the end for our picks for Headliner of the Week.
Host: Dawn Vaughan
Guests: Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram
Executive Producer: Laura Brache
Video Producer: Kevin Keister
Want even more North Carol...
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January 29, 2024 • 17 mins
On this latest episode for the week of Jan. 29, 2024, Avi Bajpai, Korie Dean, and Kyle Ingram talk about Lee Roberts, the new interim chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill, and some important discussions that took place at last week’s meeting of the UNC System’s Board of Governors.
We also talk about recent developments in a legal challenge against one of the two major elections bills GOP lawmakers passed over Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto at the...
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January 22, 2024 • 20 mins
In mid-October, The News & Observer requested communications from all 170 members of the North Carolina General Assembly, after GOP state lawmakers moved to shield all former and current legislators from having to comply with the state’s public records law.
Reporting this story involved several steps: filing initial requests, following up with lawmakers, reviewing and processing their records, and publication. Here’s a breakdown of...
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January 15, 2024 • 21 mins
Snow is expected up in Washington, D.C., in the coming days, but it is unlikely to chill out the gridlock in Congress right now. Capitol Hill correspondent Danielle Battaglia explains the latest drama related to the impending federal government shutdown and what that means going forward.
Yearning to be part of that congressional scene are several primary candidates who want to represent North Carolina. Will turnover mean more or le...
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January 8, 2024 • 20 mins
In our first episode of the new year, we bring you up to speed with a primary primer. Host Dawn Vaughan is joined by legislative team colleagues Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Kyle Ingram to talk about primary ballots.
They both recently wrote about the top of the ticket, which will, in the North Carolina primary on March 5, include incumbent President Joe Biden as the only Democrat, and among Republicans, include former Presiden...
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