As the 2016 presidential election campaign continues to heat up, Republican candidate Jeb Bush unveiled his tax plan during a campaign stop this week in Garner. John Locke Foundation Senior Political Analyst Mitch Kokai discussed Bush’s plan with Time Warner Cable News’ “Capital Tonight” program and with Chapel Hill’s Daily Tar Heel. The DTH also interviewed Kokai about recent polling in the 2016 North Carolina governor’s race.

The Raleigh News and Observer‘s “Under the Dome” publicized JLF’s upcoming Sept. 23 Headliner luncheon with former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, author of a new book about his state’s response to Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago. Vice President for Marketing and Communications Donna Martinez and Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson discuss the week’s top North Carolina political news during this weekend’s edition of Curtis Media Group’s syndicated “People In Politics” radio program. Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray discussed federalism and JLF’s First In Freedom initiative during a speech to the Charlotte Economics Club and presented a legislative update for an Americans for Prosperity group in Moore County. She offers another legislative update Saturday to the Triangle Republican Women’s Club. Gray continues regular politics and public policy radio updates for WTSB.

The Charlotte Observer highlighted CJ Executive Editor Don Carrington‘s recent cover story about an assistant U.S. attorney’s complaints that her superiors ignored the severity of a gang leader’s threat to murder her. The Sanford Herald focused on JLF Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops‘ “Locker Room” blog entry on Lee County public school students’ recent standardized test performance. EducationNC.org interviewed Stoops for an article about the impact of the federal government’s budget sequestration on education spending. The Kernersville News published Director of Fiscal Policy Studies Sarah Curry‘s column on the value of federalism in fighting federal government overreach. The Daily Tar Heel interviewed Curry for an article about recent developments in state budget negotiations.

The Caldwell Journal republished CJ Associate Editor Dan Way‘s story on reinstated work requirements for food stamps. The N.C. Spin website and state Senate Republicans’ daily press email both cited Way’s article on a critique of North Carolina’s existing auto insurance regulations. The Senate GOP also highlighted Way’s food stamp story, JLF Chairman John Hood‘s column on the long history of the Taxpayer Protection Act, and Director of Regulatory Studies Jon Sanders‘ column on occupational licensing restrictions.

The Wake Forest Weekly published CJ Associate Editor Barry Smith‘s article on the potential North Carolina impact of a Texas court ruling dealing with occupational licensing. NCPoliticalNews.com promoted Smith’s articles on the Bush tax plan and negotiations linked to North Carolina’s 2016 presidential primary date, along with JLF Vice President for Research Roy Cordato‘s column on the Fair Tax‘s potential impact on Obamacare.

The News of Orange County promoted N.C. History Project Founding Director Troy Kickler‘s participation in Hillsborough’s upcoming Constitution and Citizenship Day. The N.C. Civic Education Consortium’s eighth-grade lesson plan on the N.C. Constitution features a video of Kickler assessing the state constitution’s significance.