Andrew Dunn

1 week ago | longleafpol.com | Andrew Dunn

Like a lot of you, I’ve long struggled with what to say on Memorial Day. “Happy” doesn’t feel quite right. We’re honoring fallen soldiers, after all. But last week’s Do Politics Better podcast interview with state Rep. Grant Campbell made me think differently. Campbell served as a trauma surgeon in Iraq and now represents Cabarrus and Rowan counties in the General Assembly. He put it bluntly:“I don’t want you to shed a tear on Memorial Day. I don’t want anyone to shed a tear.

1 week ago | charlotteobserver.com | Andrew Dunn

Rep. Destin Hall speaks during a press conference at the N.C. Republican Party headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger stands to the left. [email protected] If you want to understand how North Carolina politics is changing, Speaker Destin Hall's X account is a good place to start. The top Republican in the state House doesn't just post about budgets and committees.

2 weeks ago | longleafpol.com | Andrew Dunn

I nerd out on theology podcasts. On one recent episode, a Catholic host was talking with a young Presbyterian who goes by the name Redeemed Zoomer. The conversation eventually turned to Protestant church splits — the kind that happen after there’s a big decision around a hot topic like same-sex marriage or female clergy. In many cases, the people who lose the vote decide to break off and start something new. But then RZ, as he’s called, said something that stuck with me.

2 weeks ago | longleafpol.com | Andrew Dunn

It’s not every day I find myself agreeing with a progressive group on constitutional reform. But I’ve got to hand it to Carolina Forward — their new column outlining ideas for a new North Carolina constitution is (mostly) thoughtful and in many places, pretty close to where I am. We’re clearly looking at the same problems. Their call to slim down the executive branch mirrors what I laid out in my Observer column and on Longleaf.

2 weeks ago | longleafpol.com | Andrew Dunn

People tend to think of politics as something that happens “out there” — in Washington, in Raleigh, or on television. But the truth is, politics is just a word for what happens when people try to make decisions together. And once you see that clearly, you realize something important: Politics is the same at every level. There’s really no meaningful difference between a race for HOA president and a campaign for governor. The stakes might be different. The scale might be different.