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

News
Government
101
Wrapping up a tense week at the N.C. General As...
Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan talks with politics reporters Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Avi Bajpai about the abortion veto override, tension on the House floor and what it means for the atmosphere at the Legislative Building.
21 min
102
Triangle Democratic Sen. Mary Wills Bode on the...
Host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan interviews state Sen. Mary Wills Bode about the abortion debate.
22 min
103
Behind the scenes of the legislative abortion d...
Host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan discusses what’s happening in North Carolina politics with colleagues Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Avi Bajpai.
22 min
104
Voting rights rulings, ‘compelled speech’ and a...
Host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan discusses what’s happening in North Carolina politics with colleagues Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Korie Dean.
15 min
105
Whipping the votes with Republican Rep. Jon Har...
Host and state Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan interview Republican Rep. Jon Hardister about being the House GOP caucus whip, caucus changes with Rep. Tricia Cotham joining the party, education issues and more.
23 min
106
TikTok Jackson and a different NCGA this week
Host and Capitol Bureau Chief Dawn Vaughan talks with D.C. correspondent Danielle Battaglia about Congressman Jackson's TikTok drama and what's ahead at the legislature now that Rep. Tricia Cotham is a Republican.
22 min
107
How Rep. Tricia Cotham's move will have major r...
NC Insider editor Lars Dolder fills in for Dawn Vaughan and talks to politics team freelancer Kyle Ingram, Charlotte Observer local news editor Josh Bergeron and congressional correspondent Danielle Battaglia about Rep. Tricia Cotham defection from the Democratic Party to the NC GOP House caucus.
23 min
108
House veto override drama and budget Easter eggs
Host Dawn Vaughan talks with politics teammate Lars Dolder about the dramatic House veto override, shining a light on a budget item and their picks for Headliner of the Week.
23 min
109
Sports betting bill and corporate tax talk with...
Host Dawn Vaughan talks about the sports betting bill and corporate taxes with Sen. Lisa Grafstein, a Raleigh Democrat.
21 min
110
NC Supreme Court cases, power plays, the budget...
Host Dawn Vaughan and the rest of the state politics team talk about the N.C. Supreme Court, Cooper's budget, gun debate, plus Headliner of the Week.
26 min
111
Sports, State of the State and the GOP Senate s...
Host Dawn Vaughan interviews Republican state Sen. Vickie Sawyer of Iredell County.
21 min
112
Medicaid expansion, marijuana and Democratic ch...
Host Dawn Vaughan talks with N&O politics reporter Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi about the big Medicaid expansion deal between the House and the Senate.
17 min
113
Interview with Senate Minority Dan Blue, also N...
Host Dawn Vaughan talks to Senate Minority Dan Blue about how he became the first Black speaker of the House in North Carolina, what it means today, what he thinks should happen with the long-stalled African Americans monument on the Capitol grounds and more.
26 min
114
Teaching Black history and not using it as 'a p...
News & Observer Capitol Bureau Chief Dawn Vaughan interviews Rep. Amos Quick about how he learned Black history, how he thinks it should be taught, how he'll decide to vote with Republicans, and why he's a pastor.
21 min
115
There's a new caucus at the NCGA. What that cou...
Host Dawn Vaughan shares what the launch of the HBCU Caucus means for the lawmakers, the state and one of the schools: NCCU.
12 min
116
Black History Month with lawmakers who are livi...
Host and News & Observer reporter Dawn Vaughan interviews N.C. Sen. Natalie Murdock and Rep. Vernetta Alston about themselves, their families, their stance on legislation and more.
34 min
117
Congress, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and the NC dele...
On this episode of Under the Dome for the week of Jan. 30, 2023, host Dawn Vaughan and DC correspondent Danielle Battaglia talk about what North Carolina's 14 U.S. House members have been up to lately, including the Speaker McCarthy drama.
23 min
118
Bonus episode: NC Insider's legislative preview...
Didn't get a seat to The NC Insider/News & Observer's sold-out Legislative Preview event with House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger? Listen to the entire, unedited conversation here.
43 min
119
How Senate Republicans will operate in 2023 (fe...
In this episode of Under the Dome for the week of Jan. 23, 2023, N&O reporter Dawn Vaughan talks with former Republican Senate staffer Pat Ryan about what the supermajority means and his former boss, Senate leader Berger.
21 min
120
What’s happening with the North Carolina State ...
News & Observer politics reporter and podcast host Dawn Vaughan talks with health reporter Teddy Rosenbluth and politics reporter Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi about the latest developments with changing from Blue Cross NC to Aetna in the State Health Plan.
19 min
121
First episode of 2023: The NC General Assembly ...
News & Observer politics reporters Dawn Vaughan and Will Doran tell you what to expect as the North Carolina General Assembly comes back for its long session.
23 min
122
Outgoing Democratic Sen. Kirk deViere talks abo...
On this episode of Under the Dome for the week of Dec. 26, 2022, News & Observer reporter Dawn Vaughan interviews outgoing Cumberland County Sen. Kirk deViere, a Democrat who served four years.
26 min
123
Senate Republican Whip Jim Perry talks budget f...
On this episode of Under the Dome for the week of Dec. 19, 2022, News & Observer politics reporter Dawn Vaughan talks with Sen. Jim Perry, a Kinston, NC Republican, about his views about legislation on Medicaid expansion, abortion, the state budget and more looking ahead to the 2023 legislative session.
24 min
124
What U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross says about NC Congr...
News & Observer politics reporter talks with U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, a Raleigh Democrat, about North Carolina's Congressional freshmen, what it was like inside the U.S. Supreme Court last week, what's in common between state and federal lawmakers and more.
20 min
125
The politics of NC's Big Poultry and its impact...
21 min