Public-Facing Writing
I enjoy writing about U.S., NC, and Southern politics for public audiences (outside of the pages of academic journals). I have contributed over 100 op-eds, and a variety of blog entries, magazine articles, and various other writings to media outlets including Time, The Assembly, NC Tribune, NBC Think, The Washington Post, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Charlotte Observer, The News and Observer, the Asheville Citizen Times, the Smoky Mountain News and the London School of Economics American Politics and Policy Blog. I am also a regular contributor to the Old North State Politics blog. Here are a few recent pieces:
The Short Life & Quiet Death of Ranked Choice Voting In NC
Ranked-choice voting is the hottest electoral reform in America. North Carolina tried it 16 years ago and quickly abandoned it—what happened? For the Assembly
The Truth About Swing States
Competitive partisan environments might be thought to foster centrism. In reality, partisan power grabs are incentivized in purple states. In this piece for Time, I explain how this plays out in a state like North Carolina.
Why Thom Tillis Shouldn’t Worry About the Primary
In his two terms in the U.S. Senate, North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has developed a reputation as a dealmaker—the rare politician who sometimes embraces bipartisanship. As a result of this intermittent independent streak, Tillis was censured by his own party in 2023 and is often considered vulnerable in the 2026 primary election.
In this piece for the Assembly, I demonstrate that Tillis is unlikely to lose a primary.