Let’s celebrate freedom again in North Carolina

We’re taking a week off from the regular newsletter — I’m spending a few days with family, recharging a bit, and doing my best to stay off X. So we’ll miss you this Monday.

But I didn’t want to let the Fourth of July pass without saying something.

We talk a lot about freedom in this country, especially on a day like today. But I think we’ve lost track of what that really means. Somewhere along the way, we’ve started to equate freedom with free stuff — with getting something handed to us. The idea that freedom means being unburdened by responsibility or insulated from consequences.

But that’s not real freedom.

Real freedom isn’t just about being left alone. And it’s not about the government giving you things, either. It’s about being free to build something — a life, a family, a business — and to do it without having to ask permission.

And even more than that, freedom is for something. It’s for service, for responsibility, for becoming the people and the communities we’re meant to be.

So I made this short video1. It’s not long — just a minute or so — but I hope it helps us remember what this day is really about.

Hope you enjoy — and happy Independence Day.

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Quick hits

• Mark Robinson is back in the spotlight — and just as defiant as ever. But if Robinson hasn’t learned anything from 2024, the question is: Has the Republican Party? With a U.S. Senate primary on deck, the stakes are high. Read my full column on this here.
  

• North Carolina’s next U.S. Senate primary won’t be a wide-open brawl. It’ll be a coronation. Just like in 2022, Donald Trump’s endorsement will clear the field — and right now, U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson checks every box. In another column, I break down who’s in the mix, who’s bluffing, and who actually fits Trump’s formula. Read it here.

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That’s all for this week. See you soon.

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