New: Statement from Republican Rep. Greg Murphy on the proposed congressional map that makes major changes to his district but still keeps it very Republican. #NC03 #ncpol

NEW: "I am considering every option" Rep. Don Davis issues his first statement to me since the release of the proposed congressional map that would redraw his district giving Republicans a major advantage. #NC01 #ncpol

14 governors, including @JoshStein_, have created a Governors Public Health Alliance to share data, messages about threats, emergency preparedness and public health policy. It’s a rebuke to Trump Admin. which they say isn’t doing it’s job in public health. apnews.com/article/gove... #ncpol

There are 4 Democrats and 10 Republicans who represent North Carolina in the US House. Rep. Alma Adams Rep. Deborah Ross Rep. Valerie Foushee Rep. Don Davis Who should be most nervous under a new congressional map? @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social: Don Davis #ncpol

New: Rep. @ross.house.gov, one of 4 Democrats in the NC Congressional delegation, has released this statement on the General Assembly considering a new Congressional map that adds a Republican seat. Current delegation is 10 R's, 4 D's. #ncpol

NEW: North Carolina Republican leaders say the General Assembly will consider a new Congressional map next week. “Trump earned a clear mandate from the voters...we intend to defend it by drawing an additional Republican Congressional seat." bergerpress.medium.com/general-asse... #ncpol

Spectrum News has spoken with numerous federal agencies who say they are issuing Reduction in Force notices to employees (layoffs): Dept. Of Education HHS Treasury DHS

New: HHS tells me employees across multiple divisions have received reduction-in-force (layoff) notices. HHS says all impacted employees were designated non-essential by their respective divisions.

BREAKING: White House budget office says "substantial" firings of federal workers have started as the Trump administration exerts shutdown leverage.

I’ll be on Raleigh’s NPR station @wunc.org at noon to discuss the latest on the government shutdown and other stories from DC. #ncpol

Numerous federal agencies have banners on their websites blaming Democrats for the government shutdown. Is it a violation of the Hatch Act? A closer look👇 spectrumnews1.com/ma/worcester...

I’m back in DC after an amazing fellowship with the RIAS Berlin Kommission. Me and a group of US journalists traveled through Germany and Brussels taking part in meetings in German newsrooms, Parliament, the EU, NATO and much more. It was an honor to be a part of this group.

“I think he should resign or…be removed.” I spoke with former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser about the concerns being raised from former CDC leaders about Sec. Kennedy. Meanwhile, RFK is pushing back and saying CDC changes are needed. My report 👇 spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/mountain/...

Re-upping

BREAKING: After less than a month on the job CDC Director Susan Monarez is being removed from her position, according to HHS. (First reported by Washington Post)

“Quite frankly Congress should be looking into this.” Three years since the Camp Lejeune Justice Act very few victims have actually received justice. A bipartisan bill to speed up cases has yet to get a vote in Congress. spectrumlocalnews.com/sc/south-car...

“When you don’t have any money you can’t move. So I’ll just pray about it." A plan to help Alabama residents who can’t afford septic systems and have raw sewage in their backyards was recently canceled by the Trump Admin. over DEI. I traveled to Alabama: spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte...

New: 400,000 damage claims have been filed under a 2022 law allowing compensation for exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune. But fewer than 900 have been settled - and the Navy has cut nearly half of the 123 staffers processing them, @reubenjones1.bsky.social reports. ny1.com/nc/charlotte...

Residents in this part of Alabama live with raw sewage in their backyards. A plan to help address the problem by the Biden Administration was recently canceled by the Trump Administration. The reason: DEI. I traveled to Alabama for this report: spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

Nearly a year since Helene hit western North Carolina the road to reopen for small business owners can be challenging. I spoke with 2 business owners about the journey: spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/mountain/...

“It’s been a little bit of a roller coaster ride, honestly.” 6 months since President Trump took office how has the administration done with Helene recovery in western North Carolina? I traveled to NC for a closer look. m.youtube.com/watch?v=iYWI... #ncpol

President Trump promised to fix what he said was a "horrible" response to Tropical Storm Helene in North Carolina by the Biden Administration. 6 months into his administration, has he followed through? I traveled to western NC to find out. spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/mountain/... #ncpol

Alabama was forced to redraw its congressional map after the Supreme Court ruled in 23' it likely violated the Voting Rights Act. That paved the way for @repscfigures.bsky.social who is the first Black lawmaker to represent his district in 200~ years. Watch: spectrumlocalnews.com/sc/south-car...

This is what it currently looks like outside Union Station in DC.

As redistricting takes focus one state is very familiar with the issue: Alabama. After the Supreme Court threw out the state's congressional map the path was paved for @repscfigures.bsky.social @reubenjones1.bsky.social sat down with him: spectrumlocalnews.com/sc/south-car...

Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director of EJI, recently spoke with Spectrum News about the origin and expansion of the Legacy Sites in Downtown Montgomery. Read the full article here: spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

One of the most impactful museums about the history of slavery in the U.S. is in the former capitol of the Confederacy: Montgomery, Alabama. I traveled to the Legacy Museum to speak with founder Bryan Stevenson about what can be learned. @legacysites.eji.org spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

Seven years since the renowned civil rights Legacy Museum opened in Alabama a lot has changed. I traveled to Montgomery to sit down with CEO Bryan Stevenson to discuss this moment in history and the impact of the museum. @legacysites.eji.org @eji.org spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

Tick-borne diseases are increasing in the U.S. A bipartisan bill aims to combat this and it's named after former NC Sen. Kay Hagan who died from a tick-borne disease in 2019. I interviewed Hagan's husband: spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/new... #ncpol @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social

Members of AmeriCorps were a key part of western North Carolina's recovery after Helene. Now, the future of the program is in limbo as President Trump tries to eliminate it. I traveled to NC for a closer look. spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte...

New: Former Rep. @wileynickel.com has officially exited the race for Senate in NC and endorsed @roycoopernc.bsky.social. #ncpol #NCSEN

Rep. Don Davis has been exploring a run for Senate in NC. Following Gov. Cooper’s entry, a person familiar tells me Davis is very glad to see someone from eastern NC getting in the Senate race. Davis is from ENC and the Democrat represents the state’s biggest swing district.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper makes it official that he’s running for Senate. #ncpol

Wrapping up a packed week of on the ground reporting in North Carolina. Lots of stories coming soon. #ncpol

NEW: RNC Chair Michael Whatley will run for US Senate in NC and receive President Trump’s endorsement, sources with his NC campaign tell @timboyumnews.bsky.social. First reported by Politico. #ncpol

I’m back in North Carolina for a reporting trip this week. Stories coming soon.

Will PBS North Carolina have to make job cuts now that Congress has cut federal money from public broadcasting? "I don't yet know. Hear from longtime journalist and PBC NC CEO David Crabtree tonight at 7 on Capital Tonight. #ncpol

Charlotte NPR station @wfae.bsky.social says it's cutting 6 staff members. This comes after Congress voted early this morning to cut $1.1 Billion from public broadcasting. #ncpol www.wfae.org/inside-wfae/...

Overnight, Congress passed a $9 Billion cut to foreign aid and public broadcasting. It rescinds money Congress already authorized. It cuts $1.1B from PBS/NPR, defunding it’s federal dollars, and $8B from foreign aid. All NC R’s voted Yes. All NC D’s voted No. #ncpol

This is incredibly alarming. Less than 25 years ago, the US had ~40 journalists per 100,000 residents. Now, it’s 8.2 equivalent journalists. That’s a 75% decline. 1 out of 3 counties in US don’t have the equivalent of one full-time local journalist. muckrack.com/research/loc...

Thom Tillis is out and there are major implications in the North Carolina Senate race. Let's talk about what it means... Insight from @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social WATCH: m.youtube.com/watch?v=VR4d... #ncpol

"I urge you to oppose this bill." @ncgovernor.bsky.social Josh Stein sent a letter to the entire NC Congressional Delegation urging them to vote against the Republican spending bill. Concerns include: -Medicaid -SNAP -Manufacturing tax credits Letter: governor.nc.gov/july-2-2025-... #ncpol

New from me at @politico.com: What Thom Tillis' resignation tells us about swing state politics. #ncpol #ncsen www.politico.com/news/magazin...

Tune in: I'll be joining WPTF radio in Raleigh at 3:20 pm this afternoon to discuss Sen. Tillis's decision not to run for reelection, the impacts in Washington and potential candidates. #ncpol

BREAKING: Sen. Thom Tillis NOT seeking re-election. #ncpol

President Trump has threatened to find a primary challenger for Sen. Tillis tonight but there is no obvious challenger. I took a closer look at this a couple months ago with insight from @chriscooperwcu: m.youtube.com/watch?v=33ZE...

I'll be on "Due South" on Raleigh's NPR station @wunc.org from noon-1:00 this afternoon discussing another very busy week of news. Tune in. #ncpol

Supreme Court decisions are constantly shaped as it is a win for the ___ Administration. Yes, there's a political angle but there are far bigger implications than win vs. loss. That simplifies impacts that are much more complex.

CDC Director nominee Susan Monarez appeared in her Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. But a lot of the focus was on her potential new boss, HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr, and his controversial views and actions involving vaccines. Watch: spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rocheste...

New: 22 States Attorney General, including @jeffjacksonnc.bsky.social of North Carolina, have filed a brief supporting PBS and NPR and pushing back against efforts to defund public broadcasting. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... #ncpol