Duke University public policy professor Pope “Mac” McCorkle joins Don Curtis to discuss North Carolina’s shifting political landscape. The conversation covers whether North Carolina remains a true purple state, the national significance of the 2026 U.S. Senate race, Gov. Josh Stein’s early challenges, the state budget stalemate, Medicaid and health care politics, redistricting, voter ID, the North Carolina Supreme Court race and the growing role of affordability in campaigns. McCorkle also shares insight on how campaigns operate in an era of voter distrust and what North Carolinians should watch heading into the next election cycle.