A Conversation with Dr. Chris Cooper on Partisanship, Power Grabs, and Purple State Politics

This Memorial Day, we sat down with Dr. Chris Cooper — political science professor at Western Carolina University and one of the leading experts on North Carolina politics — to talk about where this state is headed and why it matters far beyond our borders.We dig into what makes North Carolina such a uniquely volatile political battleground, how nationalization is reshaping our local politics, and what Democrats get wrong when they treat the South like it’s disposable. From shifting demographics to rural turnout to gerrymandered maps, this is a must-listen for anyone trying to understand how power really works in a purple state.We also break format a bit to talk about what Memorial Day actually means in a political moment like this — and why we’re spending $895 billion on the Pentagon while cutting basic services across the board. Plus, we unpack the latest Republican power grab aimed at stripping the State Auditor’s office of its independence.It’s a wide-ranging, urgent, and unfiltered conversation about the stakes in 2024, 2026, and beyond.