Candidate announcements, Catalyst, and other causes for JLF media appearances

Two high-profile Democrats officially entered races this week for the marquee elections on North Carolina’s 2016 ballot. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson analyzed state Attorney General Roy Cooper’s gubernatorial bid during an appearance on Time Warner Cable News’ statewide “Capital Tonight” program. Henderson also discussed Cooper’s campaign announcement with John Locke Foundation Vice President for Marketing and Communications Donna Martinez as she worked as guest host for Bill LuMaye’s WPTF Radio show. Henderson and Martinez discuss the Cooper announcement and other interesting political development for this weekend’s edition of Curtis Media Group’s “People In Politics” program.

Senior Political Analyst Mitch Kokai discussed the week’s second major campaign announcement, former Democratic state Rep. Deborah Ross’ bid for U.S. Senate, during an appearance on Time Warner Cable News’ “Capital Tonight.” Kokai spent two mornings filling in for LuMaye on WPTF Radio. Among his guests were Health and Human Services Policy Analyst Katherine Restrepo, who discussed the growth in the number of official codes for medical diagnoses, and JLF Chairman John Hood, who analyzed Cooper’s campaign announcement and promoted his new biography of former N.C. Gov. Jim Martin.

That biography, titled Catalyst, led Hood and Martin to an interview with WRAL Television’s David Crabtree for his “On The Record” program. Syndicated columnist Tom Campbell promoted the book. N.C. Senate Republicans’ daily press email cited Hood’s column this week praising the N.C. General Assembly’s decision to end budget transfers from the state’s Highway Fund to its General Fund.

Now that Bill LuMaye is back to his normal WPTF hosting duties, he will interview Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops this morning about the N.C. community college remediation rate. Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray continues regular weekly politics and public policy updates for WTSB Radio. Gray spoke at this week’s North Mecklenburg Republican Women Pig Pickin’ and Politickin’ event, and she analyzed North Carolina’s latest tax reforms during a meeting of the Tax Foundation’s State Tax Working Group. The N.C. Spin website promoted Gray’s column assessing the high points of North Carolina’s new state budget.