Voters head to the polls in North Carolina in a little more than two months. As candidates for elected office prepare for the heart of the campaign season, the John Locke Foundation launches its series of candidate education sessions this morning. Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray leads today’s opening session, with expert help from Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops and Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson. Gray continues twice-weekly politics and public policy updates for WTSB Radio. Henderson and JLF Vice President for Marketing and Communications Donna Martinez dissect the week’s top political developments for Curtis Media Group’s syndicated “People In Politics” program.

WTVD Television interviewed Senior Political Analyst Mitch Kokai about the education spending component of Gov. Pat McCrory’s latest promotional video. Time Warner Cable News picked up that story. Director of Education Outreach Lindalyn Kakadelis discussed the latest developments in a state review of Common Core public school standards during an appearance with Lockwood Phillips on WTKF’s “Viewpoints Radio.”

The Hot Air blog publicized Director of Regulatory Studies Jon Sanders‘ “Locker Room” blog entry on President Obama’s controversial executive order targeting gun control. The Master Resource blog republished Vice President for Research and Resident Scholar Roy Cordato‘s column explaining why solar energy is neither renewable nor free.

NCPoliticalNews.com promoted CJ Executive Editor Don Carrington‘s story on Google’s dubious renewable energy claims and Associate Editor Dan Way‘s article on the potential benefits of direct primary care in North Carolina.

N.C. Senate Republicans’ daily press email highlighted Carrington‘s and Way‘s articles, Way’s report on legislators’ review of the potential $937 billion liability linked to renewable energy tax credits, JLF Chairman John Hood‘s columns on the limits of relying on voters’ anger and the need for a dose of federalism in government, Stoops’ column on the problem-plagued Halifax County Schools, Director of Legal Studies Jon Guze‘s column on balancing free-speech rights and protecting the public from sexual predators, and CJ Associate Editor Barry Smith‘s article on the official launch of a $2 billion statewide bond campaign.