Latest news with #DestinHall
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How much Stein, Berger, Hall and other NC politicians have been raising in 2025
Good Sunday morning to you, and welcome to our Under the Dome newsletter that focuses on the governor. I'm Avi Bajpai, filling in today for Dawn Vaughan. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein doesn't face reelection for another three years, but that doesn't mean he's stopped or slowed down when it comes to raising money. In fact, in the first six months of this year, Stein's campaign committee reported raising just under $2.5 million. By comparison, during the same period, Republican Senate leader Phil Berger reported raising over $1.7 million, and Republican House Speaker Destin Hall reported raising just under $750,000. Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch reported raising just over $141,000, and House Democratic Leader Robert Reives reported total receipts just shy of $25,000. Senate Majority Leader Michael Lee, who was elected by his caucus to that leadership position earlier this year, raised just under $234,000, while House Majority Leader Brenden Jones raised nearly $75,000. Senate Rules Committee Chairman Bill Rabon raised $39,000. House Rules Committee Chairman John Bell raised more than $92,000. On the Council of State, other top fundraisers were Democratic Attorney General Jeff Jackson, who reported raising around $587,000 in the first six months of the year; Democratic Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, who raised nearly $133,000, and Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek, whose campaign brought in just under $34,000. These campaign finance reports covering the first half of the year, from Jan. 1 to June 30, reveal how even in an off-year and just months after the conclusion of the last election, political fundraising has continued apace. It's only going to accelerate as we get closer to next year's election, which will feature a U.S. Senate contest that is already generating expectations to become the most expensive of all time, and the fight for legislative power in the N.C. General Assembly, where Democrats will be hoping to end the Republican 'working supermajority' that has so far enacted eight bills over Stein's vetoes. Stein's fundraising and spending Taking a closer look at Stein's latest fundraising report, it shows the campaign had just over $1 million in operating expenses during the first half of this year. That included money spent on digital advertising, fundraising consulting, direct mail campaigns, texting campaigns, and payroll for staff. Combined with other expenses like contributions to other candidates and political committees, in-kind contributions, and refunds and reimbursements from the campaign, Stein reported total expenditures of $1.6 million. The $2.5 million the campaign reported bringing in is made up of a mix of thousands of small-dollar donations and a hefty share from more than 170 individuals who gave the maximum allowed amount of $6,800. Those max contributions on their own add up to more than $1.1 million. His campaign had $1.9 million in the bank coming out of last year's election, and at the end of June, the campaign said it had slightly more than $2.7 million on hand. In off-years, candidates and political fundraising committees are required to file reports twice a year. The first 'semi-annual' reports covering the first half of the year were due at the State Board of Elections by July 25. The second such report, covering the final six months of the year, will be due on Jan. 30, 2026. Catch up on more North Carolina politics news by listening to our Under the Dome podcast, which posts every Tuesday morning. On this week's episode, higher education reporter Korie Dean talks with our politics team colleague Sophia Bailly about the Trump administration's impact on international enrollment on college campuses, and whether North Carolina's campuses could see fewer international students come this fall. Read more from Korie and Sophia's new reporting on this here. Thanks for reading. Contact our team at dome@ Not a newsletter subscriber? Sign up on our website to receive Under the Dome in your inbox daily.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC Democratic lawmakers could face primary challenges after veto override votes
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Some North Carolina Democrats are pushing back against lawmakers who voted in favor of Republican bills to override vetoes from Governor Josh Stein. Representatives Carla Cunningham, Naseef Majid, Shelly Willingham and Cecil Brockman are now under fire for those votes. 'I don't think it's representative of the future of the Democratic Party, quite frankly, in North Carolina,' Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, said. Since the votes, calls are popping up for the lawmakers to be primaried, meaning they would have a challenger in the primary election and potentially be voted out. Across the hall from the House floor in the General Assembly, top Democratic senators say they are not surprised. 'The bills that they overrode made us less safe, and that is on them, and if they want to put their head on the pillow tonight and say that that's what they decided to do for whatever reason they voted for that, that is literally a consequence they'll have to deal with if they get a primary,' Senator Sydney Batch said. But Republican House Speaker Destin Hall, who claimed the veto overrides as a win, says his caucus will stay out of primary challenges. 'Members have varying reasons for why they may take a vote at a given time; it ranges from just simply what their belief is, to how likely they think a bill is to pass, to other negotiations they're having on other matters,' he said. Clayton says now their job is to tell voters exactly who they are voting for. 'Representatives are elected by their districts, and we have to make sure we're educating their districts on how they're voting, whether that be Republicans or Democrats, because we want people that are going to stand up for the values that this party stands for,' she said. Representative Cunningham also got a lot of heat for a floor speech she gave about immigration. Other lawmakers have since said she should apologize. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will Democrats try to ‘primary' fellow Democrats for overriding Gov. Stein vetoes?
North Carolina has eight new state laws this week, the result of successful veto override votes in the General Assembly. Republicans, who control both chambers but are one vote short of a veto-proof supermajority, were successful because they gained a few votes from Democrats on those eight bills, despite vetoes from a Democratic governor. A lot of bills that become law are the result of bipartisanship. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein has held ceremony after ceremony, often flanked by Republicans, as he signed legislation into law this year. But he also vetoed 14 bills, eight of which have been overturned. Good Sunday morning to you, and welcome to our Under the Dome newsletter that focuses on the governor. I'm Dawn Vaughan, The News & Observer's Capitol bureau chief. Republican House Speaker Destin Hall put out a video on social media celebrating a few of the veto overrides and criticizing Democrats for opposing them, but didn't mention that not all Democrats opposed them, as the bills only became law because of a few House Democrats' support. Those four House Democrats — Reps. Carla Cunningham, Shelly Willingham, Nasif Majeed and Cecil Brockman —didn't all vote in favor for each of the eight overrides. And their districts vary. Cunningham and Majeed are both from Mecklenburg County, while Brockman represents Guilford County and Willingham lives in Rocky Mount. The legislature's mantra for how to vote is usually in this order: conscience, constituents and caucus. That means what they personally want, what the people in their districts want, and then what their political party wants. Brockman voted for two of the least controversial overrides, about political donor information and charter schools, and he was joined by Cunningham and Willingham on both votes. Majeed joined Cunningham and Willingham in helping overturn Stein's veto of the energy bill; and Cunningham and Willingham both voted to override Stein's veto of a regulatory reform bill. Four other bills became law because of a single Democrat's vote, along with all of the Republicans' votes. Other overrides failed because of total Democratic opposition, including anti-diversity, equity and inclusion legislation. Willingham was the deciding vote to allow teachers and volunteers to carry guns in private schools as well as giving more power to State Auditor Dave Boliek. Majeed was the deciding vote on a bill about sexuality and religion in schools, and perhaps most controversially, Cunningham was the deciding vote on an immigration bill. Read the links throughout this newsletter for more details from our legislative team's coverage. Hall told reporters he was aware of general threats made against Cunningham after she gave a controversial speech about immigrants that drew rebukes, and General Assembly Police escorted her for the next day's session. Hall said that 'threats and improper comments shouldn't be lodged towards any member for simply exercising their vote, that they were elected to do.' Senate Democrats want 'consequences' for House Democrats Asked about her thoughts on the overrides, Senate Minority Leader Sydney Batch told reporters that 'just because you happen to be a Democrat doesn't necessarily mean that you're always on the Democratic team. I found it to be extremely disappointing, and I feel for those members in the House that show up every day and make sacrifices for the good of their district.' 'Everyone has the right to choose, but you're not free from the consequences of your choices, and we'll see what their districts feel regarding the overrides some of the Democrats in House passed,' Batch, a Wake County Democrat, said Tuesday after the votes. Batch said that before Stein vetoes a bill, he talks with her, as Democratic leader, as well as House Minority Leader Robert Reives. She said the caucus doesn't come before conscience and constituents, but a veto override vote is different than voting for a bill when it passes the chamber. 'If the governor says, 'This is important to me, this is important to Democrats, this is important to my agenda, this is important to the state of North Carolina,' then we have to look at that. We have to weigh that, put that in the balance, and decide whether or not we're going to sustain a veto,' she said. 'So there is never a time in our caucus that we're saying that you have to go ahead and take a caucus position on something. But I do believe that when you sign up to be a part of the Democratic caucus, you also sign up to support your Democratic governor to the extent that it makes sense,' Batch said. GOP didn't override concealed carry veto in House As for Republicans, one of the vetoes they have failed to overturn is because the speaker didn't call the vote in the House. He didn't have the votes to override, not just from one required Democrat, but because of Republicans. Hall said he doesn't agree that Republicans should try to run primary candidates against an incumbent Republican for not voting with the rest of their caucus every time. Hall said he would not be part of trying to primary any Republican, including two that voted against a bill that would get rid of the concealed carry permit law. 'Primary' as a verb in politics means intentionally trying to defeat an incumbent in your own political party because you did not like how they voted, or another reason. 'I do not get involved in trying to primary our caucus members. I will side with our caucus members,' Hall said. Candidate filing for the 2026 election begins in December. Catch up on more North Carolina politics news by listening to our Under the Dome podcast, which posts every Tuesday morning. On our new episode, you'll hear my interview with Democratic Rep. Brian Turner of Buncombe County. We talk about those veto overrides as well as his time in the House. Thanks for reading. Contact me at dvaughan@ Not a newsletter subscriber? Sign up on our website to receive Under the Dome in your inbox daily.
Axios
10-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
North Carolina is the best state for business (again), CNBC says
North Carolina is once again America's top state for business, beating Texas (No. 2) and Florida (No. 3), according to CNBC's 2025 annual ranking. Why it matters: A top ranking is a major point of pride for politicians and economic developers, who tout North Carolina's business friendliness when trying to lure new employers, major events and visitors to the state. North Carolina has claimed the No. 1 spot three of the past four years on the esteemed list. It narrowly lost in 2024 to Virginia, its top rival and neighbor. Yes, but: Despite threats of tariffs and hurricane recovery, North Carolina made a comeback this year while Virginia slipped to fourth place. The big picture: Last year's second-best ranking didn't stop North Carolina from attracting a "steady stream" of new business in 2025, from JetZero to Amazon, which CNBC acknowledged in its report. Just this week, Citigroup and AssetMark announced a Charlotte expansion that will create more than 700 total jobs in exchange for millions in incentives. Last month, the California startup BuildOps announced plans to open a 290-person office in Raleigh in exchange for state and local incentives. Also in June, Amazon disclosed plans to invest $10 billion in building data centers in Richmond County. How it works: CNBC scores all 50 states across 10 weighted categories for up to 2,500 points. North Carolina tallied 1,614 points this year. It finished third in CNBC's "all-important" economy category, behind Florida and Texas. The study references the state's 3.7% gross domestic product growth and the addition of more than 60,000 jobs last year. "While no state is more politically divided than deep purple North Carolina, both parties seem to agree on the importance of keeping business happy," CNBC's report states. Threat level: CNBC called out North Carolina for being "almost unfailingly friendly to business" but "not terribly friendly to workers." The state performed its worst ever in the quality of life category, in the No. 29 spot. CNBC cited an "almost complete lack of worker protections" and a lack of laws "protecting nondisabled people from discrimination in public accommodations." The state's business climate is also highly vulnerable to disasters, tariffs and fallout from Medicaid cuts, CNBC noted. Hurricane Helene struck too late for the economic impact to be considered in the report, CNBC says. Zoom out: Virginia dropped to its lowest standing since 2018 due to its "interdependence on the federal government" amid looming budget cuts. What they're saying: Republican leaders were already celebrating — and taking credit for — the win Thursday morning, soon after the list was released. House Speaker Destin Hall, on X, thanked the GOP-led General Assembly's "successful reforms." "If you're thinking about moving here, don't forget which party made that prosperity possible," Rep. Brenden Jones wrote on the platform. Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, thanked his predecessor, fellow Democrat Roy Cooper, as well as state lawmakers from both parties "who have helped North Carolina create a welcoming climate."
Associated Press
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
North Carolina governor vetoes another set of bills, including one on guns in private schools
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Josh Stein cleared his desk Wednesday of the deluge of bills passed to him from the North Carolina General Assembly last month, three of which he vetoed. Stein topped off his veto total at 14 for this year's legislative session. One of the vetoes prolongs the extensive battle between the governor's office and GOP-controlled legislature over gun laws — an issue Republican lawmakers prioritized when they came to Raleigh. Now that all of Stein's vetoes have been returned to the Legislative Building, possible veto override attempts could occur starting later this month. House Speaker Destin Hall reaffirmed that possibility in a post on the social platform X. 'We're keeping score. Overrides coming soon,' Hall said. With Republicans one House seat short of a veto-proof supermajority, GOP leaders may have to pick and choose which measures to take action on. A few bills with some Democratic support may be able to skirt by. The first vetoed bill would allow certain people to carry firearms onto private school property with permission from the school's board of trustees or administrative director. The person — either an employee or a volunteer — would be required to have a concealed handgun permit and complete a training class. Republican proponents of the bill said it would keep private schools safe in rural areas where police response time is longer. Stein argued in his veto statement that school employees and volunteers 'cannot substitute' law enforcement officers, who receive hundreds of hours of safety education, when crises occur. The governor did voice support for another provision in the bill that would heighten penalties for threatening or assaulting an elected official. He urged the legislature to 'send me a clean bill with those protections so I can sign it.' 'Just as we should not allow guns in the General Assembly, we should keep them out of our schools unless they are in the possession of law enforcement,' Stein said in the statement. Some Democrats in the House and Senate voted for the bill originally, meaning a veto override is on the table. The fight over guns was the focus of a previous bill Stein vetoed a few weeks ago that would allow adults to carry concealed weapons without a permit. That bill faces an uphill battle to becoming law after a handful of Republicans voted against the measure, making the chances of a veto override fairly slim. GOP state legislators have continued to carve out further gun access over the past few years. In 2023, Republican lawmakers overrode former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto and put into law the elimination of the pistol purchase permit system that mandated character evaluations and criminal history checks for applicants. The other two bills Stein vetoed Wednesday also received some Democratic votes and thus could be overridden if such support holds. One of the bills would create an expedited removal process for homeowners and landlords to remove people unauthorized to live on their property. Stein said he was unhappy with a last-minute addition that would prevent local governments from enforcing their own prohibitions on pet shop animal sales and additional licensing beyond statewide rules. The other bill would bar public agencies from collecting or releasing certain personal information about donors to 501(c) nonprofits. The governor signed nine bills into law Wednesday. Two were omnibus criminal justice and public safety measures, raising penalties on many crimes or creating new criminal counts. Another was designed to help active-duty military and veterans with reduced government fees and improved access to higher education. ___ Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson contributed to this report.
