Both John Locke Foundation Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray and Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson discussed top political news this week for statewide television programs. Gray served as a panelist for N.C. Spin, discussing the General Assembly’s return to work, Gov. Pat McCrory’s initial weeks in office, and challenges facing both the Democratic and Republican parties. Henderson’s latest appearance on News 14 Carolina’s “Capital Tonight” gave him a chance to discuss topics such as North Carolina’s plans to repay its debt to the federal government for unemployment insurance benefits.

Gray also hit the road this week for a speech to the Lee County Republican Club about expectations for North Carolina public policy in 2013. She continues her semiweekly politics and policy updates for WTSB Radio listeners.

Western North Carolina radio listeners heard this week from JLF Director of Communications Mitch Kokai, who discussed key elements of the First in Freedom book with Pete Kaliner on WWNC, and from CJ Associate Editor Barry Smith, who recapped this week’s legislative highlights with Matt Mittan on WZGM/WHKP.

The News & Observer‘s “Under The Dome” blog highlighted Smith and Associate Editor Dan Way‘s joint article on the opening of the new legislative session. N.C. Senate Republicans promoted Smith’s article on a controversy surrounding computer-generated tax notices from the N.C. Revenue Department, along with Way’s story on a pending review of a Medicaid administrator, and a JLF press release critiquing a fatally flawed analysis of the state’s tax burden.

The Daily Tar Heel quoted Henderson in a report focusing on the growth of unaffiliated voters in North Carolina.