Left of Old North

by Left of Old North

Season 2

The Night After the 2025 NC Elections w/ The Foxfire Dispatch

This week, Left of Old North teams up with The Foxfire Dispatch for a special crossover episode! We’re joined by Liz Purvis, organizer, activist, and host of The Foxfire Dispatch, for a deep dive into the epic wins from this year’s elections — in North Carolina and across the country. From local races that flipped seats in tough districts to national victories for progressives, we break down what went right, what it says about the momentum building, and how grassroots organizing turned frustration into power. If you needed proof that people power still works — this is it.

S2 · E1

Nov 7, 2025

53:43

Season 1

TX Rep. Trey Martinez on Fighting Fire with Fire

In this episode, we sit down with Texas State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer, one of the Democrats who fled the Lone Star State to break quorum and stop an outrageous GOP gerrymander that would have handed Republicans five extra congressional seats. Rep. Martinez Fischer takes us inside the fight: from Governor Greg Abbott’s threats of fines and arrests, to a bomb threat in Illinois that forced Democrats to evacuate, to California’s bold counter-move to redraw its own maps in response. We talk about what it’s like to literally leave home for democracy, the national stakes of redistricting, and why he believes Democrats must be willing to fight fire with fire.

S1 · E19

Aug 16, 2025

24:57

Rep. Rodney Pierce on Living Through History, Holding the Line, & Why Dems Can’t Ignore ENC

In this episode, CJ sits down with State Representative Rodney Pierce (HD-27) for a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to represent eastern North Carolina, from the fight for rural investment to defending democracy in the face of right-wing overreach. Rep. Pierce shares his journey into politics, the issues that matter most to his district, and how Democrats can reconnect with working-class voters across the 252. We talk education, healthcare, housing, and the urgency of standing strong in a statehouse that too often ignores rural voices. This one’s for anyone who believes North Carolina’s future includes all of us, not just the wealthy and well-connected in Raleigh.

S1 · E18

Aug 8, 2025

29:42

Chuck Hubbard on Running in Rural WNC & Why Virginia Foxx Needs to Lose

In this episode of Left of Old North, we sit down with Chuck Hubbard, the Democrat taking on far-right Rep. Virginia Foxx in North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District. Chuck talks with us about what it means to run in rural Western North Carolina, why Foxx’s long career of extremism and inaction has failed the people she’s supposed to represent, and how Democrats can reclaim ground in so-called “unwinnable” districts. We dig into the GOP’s culture war chaos, the local issues that actually matter to voters, and what it will take to retire Virginia Foxx once and for all.

S1 · E17

Jul 28, 2025

32:47

Rep. Phil Rubin on Reform, The NC Legislature, and the Fight for a Functional Democracy

Today we’re joined by State Representative Phil Rubin, a former federal prosecutor and first-term Democrat representing NC’s 40th District in Wake County. Rep. Rubin brings a legal mind and a reformer’s urgency to the NC General Assembly. We talk about his work to bring an advocacy-minded approach to representation, his push to fight in the margins of power, and the broken budget process that shut out nearly every Democratic amendment. We also discuss what it means to govern with integrity in a legislature where power is often prioritized over people—and how we fix it.

S1 · E16

Jul 15, 2025

25:06

A Conversation with Aron Johnson on Queer Power in the South

In this Pride Month episode of Left of Old North, we’re joined by Aron Johnson, the Organizing Director for Equality North Carolina and a seasoned movement builder with over a decade of grassroots experience. From leading campaigns to empowering communities across the state, Aron brings deep insight into what it really takes to protect and uplift LGBTQ+ North Carolinians in an increasingly hostile political climate. We talk about what Pride looks like beyond parades, how organizers are building power in places the legislature would rather forget, and what it means to show up for queer liberation year-round—not just in June. If you’re wondering what you can do in this moment, this episode is your roadmap.

S1 · E15

Jul 9, 2025

26:52

Pride Under Pressure: Anti-LGBTQ Bills and a Voting Rights Crackdown in the NCGA

In this Pride Month kickoff episode, we cut through the corporate rainbow-washing to talk about what Pride means in a moment of relentless attacks on LGBTQ+ rights — especially in North Carolina. From the legacy of HB2 to today’s slate of anti-trans and anti-gay bills, we lay out how the NCGA continues to target queer communities while the GOP escalates efforts to criminalize even the most basic democratic actions — like helping someone register to vote. We break down House Bill 127, a dangerous attempt to restrict voter registration drives, and share what listeners can do to fight back. It’s Pride, it’s political, and it’s personal.

S1 · E14

Jun 2, 2025

39:56

A Conversation with Dr. Chris Cooper on Partisanship, Power Grabs, and Purple State Politics

This Memorial Day, we sat down with Dr. Chris Cooper — political science professor at Western Carolina University and one of the leading experts on North Carolina politics — to talk about where this state is headed and why it matters far beyond our borders. We dig into what makes North Carolina such a uniquely volatile political battleground, how nationalization is reshaping our local politics, and what Democrats get wrong when they treat the South like it’s disposable. From shifting demographics to rural turnout to gerrymandered maps, this is a must-listen for anyone trying to understand how power really works in a purple state. We also break format a bit to talk about what Memorial Day actually means in a political moment like this — and why we’re spending $895 billion on the Pentagon while cutting basic services across the board. Plus, we unpack the latest Republican power grab aimed at stripping the State Auditor’s office of its independence. It’s a wide-ranging, urgent, and unfiltered conversation about the stakes in 2024, 2026, and beyond.

S1 · E13

May 26, 2025

1:09:06

Rep. Wiley Nickel On Running for US Senate, Bringing Back Reform, and How We Can Fight Back

Explicit

In this episode, we sit down with U.S. Representative Wiley Nickel to talk about his run for the U.S. Senate in 2026 and what it will take to flip North Carolina blue. Rep. Nickel lays out his vision for bringing back reform to a broken Congress, restoring fair maps, protecting democracy, and pushing back against far-right extremism in Raleigh and Washington alike. We dig into why he’s running, what he wants to accomplish if elected, and how everyday North Carolinians can move from frustration to action. From protecting fundamental rights to rebuilding trust in our institutions, this conversation is a roadmap for how voters, organizers, and communities can help shape a more just, representative, and responsive government.

S1 · E12

May 19, 2025

53:40

The Honorable Chaz Beasley on the Legislature, Lessons to Learn, and How the Left Can Change For The Better

Explicit

Today, we’re sitting down with someone who’s been in the thick of it — The Honorable Chaz Beasley. Chaz represented House District 92 in the North Carolina General Assembly, serving part of Mecklenburg County during a time of major growth and political transformation. A Yale and Georgetown Law graduate, he brought a fresh, policy-driven voice to Raleigh — and he didn’t stop there. In 2020, Chaz ran statewide for Lieutenant Governor, bringing attention to issues like economic mobility, education equity, and justice reform — all with a focus on building a North Carolina that works for everyone, not just those with power. Today, we’ll talk about his time in the legislature, lessons from running a statewide campaign, and what the future looks like for Democrats in a state where the stakes have never been higher.

S1 · E11

May 5, 2025

1:03:21

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