All in Politics
The North Carolina General Assembly passed a state budget that Governor Roy Cooper refused to sign. As in years past, the budget sparked both approval and criticism across political aisles. Senator Jim Perry (R-Lenoir), a key figure in the budget discussions, detailed the budget's multiple facets in a comprehensive interview.
Congress is back in session, and our primary legislative priority is ensuring the government remains funded while reducing reckless spending and addressing the Biden-created crisis at our southern border.
At the city council meeting on Tuesday, the council members discussed the potential implementation of social districts in downtown Kinston. The proposal, presented by City Planner Elizabeth Blount, seeks to designate areas where patrons can legally enjoy alcoholic beverages from permitted establishments while promoting economic growth.
The Lenoir County Board of Elections held an official hearing at a meeting on Thursday to address Mayor Yvonne Deatherage’s petition against mayoral candidate Mike Horne who is her opponent in the upcoming 2023 municipal election.
We hope your September is off to a great start! We’ve put together the below newsletter update to keep you in the know about the work my colleagues and I are doing to serve our communities.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA is investing $44.5 million to help rural cooperatives and utilities build and improve water infrastructure, improving quality of life, for thousands of people in rural North Carolina today.
This summer, Eastern North Carolina has been bustling with visitors from across the state and across the nation — coming to experience our wonderful way of life. As we draw closer to the end of summer and students are heading back to school, I'm reminded of how grateful I am to live here throughout the year.
As summer winds down, students are going back to school and legislators are getting back to business by overriding more of the Governor's vetoes and finishing up with the State Budget process. Over the last few weeks, we've been working behind-the-scenes to negotiate and build consensus with our colleagues in the NC House — and we are very close to a final product (more information follows below).
For the upcoming 2023 Municipal Election in Greene, Jones, and Lenoir County, filing opened on Friday, July 7, 2023, and ended at noon Friday, July 21, 2023. Election Day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Here are the candidate filings as of Friday, July 21, 2023, at 12:00 pm.
In North Carolina, the political label “conservative” is more popular than the terms “liberal” or “progressive.” In the most recent John Locke Foundation poll, for example, 46% of likely voters described themselves as conservatives, with 25% picking the liberal label and the rest either “moderate” or nothing at all. If we broaden out to include all North Carolinians, not just those who reliably vote, the gap shrinks a bit. But conservatives still form a plurality — and they significantly outnumber liberals.
For the upcoming 2023 Municipal Election in Greene County and Lenoir County, filing opened on Friday, July 7, 2023, and ends at noon Friday, July 21, 2023, Election Day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
I hope you and your family are enjoying the start of summer! It’s a beautiful time of year to live in Eastern North Carolina.
Many of you have seen me use the term "Long Session," this year. In North Carolina, our state legislature operates on a two-year period known as a "biennium," with Long Session taking place on the odd numbered years and Short Session for the even numbered years.
