GOP Sen. Ted Budd talks shutdown, Epstein files & spending time in Oval Office

This week on Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum talks with UNC law professor Gene Nichol who recently released a book called "Now what? How North Carolina Can Blace a Progressive Path Forward." Nichol, famous for his focus on poverty and equality, discusses how football recruiting shaped his political views.  He also recounts his battles with Republican legislative leaders, the closing of his poverty center, and the seemingly constant redistricting battles. 

This week, as America celebrates Thanksgiving, host Tim Boyum welcomes author and historian Kenneth Davis to the Tying it Together podcast.  Davis talks about the true history behind the story of the first Thanksgiving and many of the myths.  The menu will surprise you, and we bet you can't guess which president signed the first proclamation declaring Thanksgiving a holiday.  Davis is a New York Times bestselling author of the "Don't Know Much About History" book series and his current book "The World in Books". 

U.S. Senator and Republican Ted Budd joins host Tim Boyum for a wide-ranging conversation on the Tying it Together podcast. They talk about his upbringing and how his first run for office literally happened hours before the deadline and resulted in a 17-way primary. Later, they talk about the government shutdown, health care, federal raids in Charlotte, the 2026 elections, and even the controversy of the Epstein files.

This week, Tim talks with Spectrum National Political Anchor Errol Louis about Zohran Mamdani's win in the New York City mayoral race.  Louis, host of NY1's "Inside City Hall" and his podcast "You Decide," has interviewed Mamdani and moderated one of the few debates. They talk about Mamdani's background, democratic socialism and how it could play out in other races across the country, including North Carolina's 2026 U.S. Senate race. Later, Louis talks about what it's like to end up as a character in a Saturday Night Live sketch.

In this week's episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum talks with popular blogger and content creator Cassie Clark.  She spends most of her time online preserving southern culture and history, but recently she has been thrown into politics after a post she made with a Charlie Kirk shirt on.  Elon Musk retweeted her post that now has more than 21 million views. She now says her life has changed forever.  Tim talks with Cassie about her background, the shirt incident and why she now says she will take on politics after avoiding it for years.

This week on Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum heads to the state fair to talk with Labor Commissioner Luke Farley.   Prior to his role in public service, Commissioner Farley practiced law privately, with a focus on workplace safety. They'll discuss the complex safety procedures needed for approving rides at the N.C. State Fair. They also discuss his unlikely rise in politics as they eat a pork belly churro and much more.

On this week's episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum and his guests tackle the latest craziness in North Carolina politics.  Following Texas, California and others, the North Carolina is set to pass another new Congressional map this week.  The state's most powerful politician is facing a primary.  Finally, the 2026 U.S. Senate race continues to garner all kinds of attention and money. Tim is joined by Brian Lewis, a lobbyist and podcaster, along with Billy Warden, a marketing expert and journalist, to discuss everything.

On this week's episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum talks with the man who is challenging North Carolina's most powerful politician. Senate leader Phil Berger has led Republicans ever since they took full control of the legislature in 2011. However, an unsuccessful attempt to expand casinos in the state opened the door for criticism. As a result, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page plans to run against Sen. Berger in next year's Republican primary. This week, we get to know Sheriff Page, why he's running, and why he thinks he can beat the Berger campaign and money behind it.

On this week's episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum chats with Congressman Pat Harrigan.  The Republican representing the 10th district is a former Army Special Forces officer and Green Beret. He graduated from West Point with a degree in nuclear engineering, as well.  Tim and Rep. Harrigan talk about his background in the military, why he ran for Congress, the partisan divide and the debate over crime in cities like Charlotte.

On this week's episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum talks with North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton.  Clayton discusses next year's top-watched U.S. Senate race, the future of the Democratic party and the political debates centered on crime in the state and around the country. Clayton, who was the nation's youngest state party chair just two years earlier, recently secured a second term as head of the North Carolina Democratic Party.