Jack Becket, August 3, 2025
The last week of July offered no summer lull for Charlotte politics. The North Carolina General Assembly barreled through a series of veto overrides, including bills on immigration, firearms, and squatter eviction. Governor Stein took the public heat. A Charlotte Democrat supplied the decisive vote. Meanwhile, on the municipal front, candidate filings for September’s city elections closed—with drama in District 6. The 1-cent transit sales tax advanced, though not without a scramble to rebalance representation. And in national crosshairs, both Michael Whatley and Roy Cooper made their U.S. Senate ambitions official. Charlotte reporters captured the turning points in real time. The rest of us just tried to keep up.
Local Government & Elections
City Council Candidate Filings Close
- Filing deadline passed July 19.
- District 6 sees five candidates vying for the seat vacated by Tariq Bokhari, now in the Trump administration.
- Two unaffiliated candidates, Lia White and Robin Emmons, gathered enough signatures to join the ballot.
1-Cent Transit Tax Referendum Advances
- Mecklenburg County approved referendum language for the Nov. ballot.
- Public outcry led to board restructuring to ensure representation from towns outside Charlotte.
- The 1-cent tax would fund light rail expansion, bus network upgrades, and road improvements.
Pineville Mayoral Race
- David Phillips withdrew, handing the mayor’s seat to Amelia Stinson-Wesley.
State Politics & Legislation
Veto Override Blitz
The legislature overrode 8 of Gov. Stein’s 14 vetoes, including:
| Bill No. | Topic | Override? | Local Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 237 | Firearms | ✅ | Concealed carry expansions |
| HB 318 | Immigration Enforcement | ✅ | Required ICE notifications by sheriffs |
| SB 749 | Elections Board Restructure | ✅ | Shifts appointments away from governor |
| HB 600 | Environmental Rollbacks | ✅ | Weakens PFAS and air permitting laws |
| SB 678 | Anti-Reliance on Renewables | ✅ | Rewrites state clean energy goals |
| SB 678 | Charter School Flexibilities | ✅ | Reduces accountability for charters |
| HB 854 | Squatter Eviction (revised) | ✅ | Clean version passed minus pet store clause |
- Charlotte Rep. Carla Cunningham provided the decisive Democratic vote on HB 318, sparking backlash.
National Politics with Local Impact
Senate Race Takes Shape
- RNC Chair Michael Whatley launched his campaign in Gastonia with Trump’s backing.
- Former Gov. Roy Cooper entered the race, promising to protect reproductive rights and restore balance to federal courts.
- Republican PACs immediately went on the attack, calling Cooper “another Biden in disguise” (News & Observer).
NAACP National Convention
- NAACP returned to Charlotte for the first time in nearly 30 years.
- Local delegates called out voter suppression laws and urged mobilization ahead of 2026 Senate and state races.
Reporter Social-Media Activity
- 🗓️ July 29 — Julie Kay: Captured Rep. Cunningham’s floor speech backing the immigration bill. “It’s time to wake up,” she said.
- 🗓️ July 31 — Julie Kay: Covered Whatley’s campaign kickoff.
- 🗓️ July 31 — Joe Bruno: Shared early voting site list for the September primary.
- 🗓️ July 30 — Joe Bruno: Reported the legislature passed a clean version of the squatters bill.
- 🗓️ July 29 — Joe Bruno: Posted full transcript of Rep. Cunningham’s controversial remarks.
- 🗓️ July 30 — Joe Bruno: Confirmed Pineville mayoral transition.
Summary
A week of synchronized sparks at every level of government. In Raleigh, veto overrides underscored the legislature’s confidence and the governor’s fragility. In Charlotte, the candidate field narrowed just as the referendum battle widened. And at the national level, the 2026 Senate race went from theoretical to personal. One Charlotte Democrat cast a deciding vote; another watched her words ripple across Twitter. The rest of us? We mainlined local Twitter and half-cold coffee ☕️. The next 90 days promise even more motion.
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