Tag search result

LAWMAKERS THROW McCRORY A BONE: The first bill to Gov. Pat McCrory's desk is likely to be a measure to cut unemployment benefits for the jobless. The Republican supports the bill but don't be surprised if it's not the first one he signs. The House worked late Wednesday to pass another bill designed to create two paths for high school graduates: technical schools or college. McCrory campaigned on this issue and Democrats expect to him to make it the first bill he signs. "The word on the street is that the governor wants to have a press conference on this," Democratic state Rep. Paul Luebke of Durham said on the House floor in criticizing the speed at which it progressed. The bill was heard in committee and given initial approval in the House in the same day.

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: State Auditor Beth Wood appears before lawmakers this morning to talk about a recent audit showing troubles in the Medicaid system -- a documents Republicans are using as justification to block a Medicaid expansion under the federal health care law. A Senate committee will consider a measure to block public access to records about concealed weapons holders. On the House floor, House Speaker Thom Tillis is limiting debate on a controversial measure to block Medicaid expansion to 30 minutes. Lawmakers want to leave early today, in part, because it's Valentine's Day. McCrory is hosting more lawmakers for breakfast and lists no other public events.

Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo -- the source for all the North Carolina political scuttlebutt. Much more below.

MORNING MEMO EXCLUSIVE: McCrory approval rating constant but disapproval spikes A new poll scheduled for release Wednesday shows Gov. Pat McCrory's negatives jumped 14 points higher than when he took office in January, with one third of voters disapproving of his effort so far. At the same time, the survey from the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling shows his approval rating essentially level at 47 percent, after starting his term at 45 percent, within the margin of error. The movement suggests North Carolina voters with no distinct opinion of McCrory a month ago now shift disproportionately against him, a byproduct of governing and the Republican's early stumbles in office.

DEMOCRATS TURN, HIGHER ED COMMENTS VIEWED NEGATIVELY:McCrory started in a honeymoon period with Democrats with only 26 percent disapproving and 48 percent not sure. Now, half of the state's Democrats disapprove. His margin of support among unaffiliated votes also slipped a bit to 48 percent approving and 31 percent disapproving in Feburary. About one-third of all voters polled disapproved of the governor's controversial comments about higher education with 26 percent approving and 42 percent unsure. The gaffe alone didn't likely move the numbers too much, the poll suggests. McCrory's pay raises to his cabinet secretaries are much less popular with 82 percent disapproving.

Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo -- more North Carolina political news and analysis below.

In the legislature, the House and Senate convene at 6 p.m. for skeleton sessions. The real action starts Tuesday when budget committees begin to meet in public. A House committee will consider the controversial Medicaid bill Tuesday, as the full Senate considers a measure to curtail unemployment benefits. McCrory has no public events Monday, but he speaks to N.C. Department of Natural Resources employees Monday morning.

***Welcome to the Dome Morning Memo, the source for political news in North Carolina. Much more below. ***

The seventh annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street rally drew enough marchers to stretch from one end of downtown Fayetteville Street to the other. They squeezed into the plaza between the state history and natural sciences museums – a space that organizers say holds 10,000 people – to listen to speakers on a stage in front of the state legislative building.

It was an audience displeased with a government that is now firmly in Republican hands with the election of Pat McCrory as governor. Read more here.

UPDATED: WHAT REDISTRICTING MEANS: Only one competitive congressional race in 2014. Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball political rankings show what happens when congressional districts are packed with like-minded folks. Of the state's 13 congressional races, only one is deemed competitive between parties. The seat is Democratic Congressman Mike McIntyre in District 7. McIntyre won a close race in 2012 -- one of the few where Mitt Romney won the president vote -- and another tight contest is expected in 2014. The pundits at University of Virginia give him the early edge, though, ranking the race "leans Democratic."

***You are reading the Dome Morning Memo -- more news and analysis below.***

In his first press conference since taking the helm of the state Democratic Party, Chairman Randy Voller took aim at Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and the GOP legislature, saying they are not fulfilling their campaign promise to focus on the economy.

"All I hear up here is cut, cut, cut and I don't see a lot of things that are creating jobs," he said at party headquarters in Raleigh. "North Carolinians need to have jobs. They need to have jobs that pay. They need to have health insurance. They need to have livable wages."

Voller said the "radical, reactionary" legislature should stop "monkeying around with removing people from commissions and other things that are not focused on creating opportunities in our communities."

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: No votes in the House on Thursday but the Senate is expected to give final approval to a bill to purge the state's boards of any Democratic appointees. Gov. Pat McCrory hosts legislators for a private breakfast and attends two closed-door events in Wake County. Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller is hosting a morning press conference to lay out his vision for the minority party amid GOP reign.

TEA PARTY GROUP MAY SCREEN GOP U.S. SENATE CANDIDATES: Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips said his group may begin to support candidates in Republican primaries, the Daily Caller reports. The move could have implications on North Carolina's U.S. Senate race in 2014 -- which is expected to draw a robust field to challenge Democrat Kay Hagan. Americans for Prosperity is a tea party group that once held close ties to Gov. Pat McCrory's budget director, Art Pope, who led the national board and donated significantly to the organization.

THE HOUSE VOTE: The state House on Monday night tentatively approved an overhaul of the state’s unemployment system along mostly partisan lines after voting down a series of amendments offered by Democrats.

***Welcome to the Dome Morning Memo -- the source for N.C. political news and analysis. Read much more below.***

The Senate considers a bill to block the expansion of Medicaid to roughly 500,000 uninsured North Carolinians but AARP of North Carolina is focusing its attention on Gov. Pat McCrory.

The group ran full-page advertisements in the Raleigh, Charlotte and Winston-Salem newspapers Monday (see link below) to urge its members and supporters to call the Republican governor and tell him: "Don't turn your back on hard working North Carolinians. Support Medicaid expansion."

Mary Bethel, a lobbyist for the AARP, said called the bill in the Senate a freight train moving fast down the tracks. But she hopes the governor will feel pressured to influence the action in the N.C. House and possibly quash the bill. McCrory has yet to take a position on the bill but he recently said expansion is not a possibility until existing problems with the system are corrected.

Document(s):
AARP.pdf