Sites and Stunts
A congressional candidate deletes references to high gas prices; Democrats try to troll an outgoing legislator.
In addition to being your source for political coverage in this glorious mess of a state, I’m proud to announce that The Assembly has promoted this resident sports junkie to senior Carolina Hurricanes victory parade correspondent for Saturday’s festivities in downtown Raleigh. It doesn’t come with a pay raise, but does come with a keepsake media credential and a core lifetime memory.
Let’s be honest: There’s no way to even try to disguise my bias on this beat, so yes, I’ll be wearing some Hurricanes victory apparel. And if I can get a photo with the Stanley Cup, you best believe I’ll be seizing that opportunity. One lawmaker has already boasted to me about stumbling into the Stanley Cup, and I simply can’t allow any more politicians to behold this glorious trophy before me.
Here’s where I need everyone’s help: Where’s the best place to take photos showing the fullest extent of the crowd? Send me your tips so I can sufficiently capture the enthusiasm of the day. I promise to keep your secret parade viewing spots confidential.
And one final housekeeping note: Make sure to join The Assembly at 5pm on Tuesday, June 23, at Fullsteam ATC in downtown Durham for a conversation on what it means to be an American and North Carolinian today. This event is free, but seats are limited. Register here.
Now let’s pull back the curtain on the news of the week. We’ve got a lot of quirky stories to get to. We’ll begin at the federal level before turning our attention back to Raleigh.
Roll Call
Why Laurie Buckhout removed gas price concerns from her website
Elections bill hits stumbling block
What’s the budget holdup?
Bringing the MLB to NC
Democrats troll an outgoing lawmaker
Buckhout’s Website Loses Gas
Army combat veteran Laurie Buckhout has made the economy central to her campaign to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Don Davis, vowing to make life more affordable for residents in the 1st Congressional District.
“The Biden-Harris-Davis agenda created devastating inflation rates and made the cost of living unaffordable in Eastern North Carolina,” her campaign website read in April. “Laurie will fight for working families who can’t afford another year of rising costs at the gas pump and grocery store.”
But months into President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, gas prices peaked at more than $4 a gallon in North Carolina— the highest in four years, according to data from GasBuddy. While fuel costs have since dropped in the state, they remain substantially higher than the nearly $3 per gallon when Trump took office.
As the war with Iran intensified, Buckhout’s campaign overhauled the issues section of her campaign website, and with it, removed any reference to gas prices. By the end of May, the “Fixing Our Broken Economy” section of her website shifted to “Turning Our Economy Around.”
