Investigations & Reports

November 21, 2014 - Independent spending continues to grow in North Carolina politics, topping $9 million in 2014. But the groups involved and the way the money is spent is evolving, reshaping the state's political landscape.

November 19, 2014 - Thanks to Republican-drawn congressional districts, the mismatch between Democratic votes and Democratic representation in Washington remains high across the South.

November 14, 2014 - The American Petroleum Institute jumped into the outside spending game in the North Carolina state politics this year. Most of its chosen legislative candidates won re-election -- but not all of them. Was outside spending by environmentalists a factor in the losses?

November 5, 2014 - After the 2014 mid-term elections, Democrats have a majority in just one state legislative chamber in 13 Southern states: the Kentucky House.

November 3, 2014 - Nearly $7 million has flooded into state-level races in North Carolina from outside spending groups, according to a new analysis by FollowNCMoney.org. Unlike in past years, Democratic-leaning groups are close to matching independent expenditures benefiting Republicans.

October 31, 2014 - Led by the American Petroleum Institute, energy interests are contributing to the outside spending onslaught in North Carolina elections this year. Not surprisingly, their giving overwhelmingly favors anti-regulatory Republicans and Democrats with weak environmental records.

July 25, 2014 - The deal joining North Carolina-based tobacco giants Reynolds American and Lorillard also unites two of the state's biggest corporate political contributors. Besides donating directly to candidates and committees, the companies have also been funneling money into outside spending groups active in the state's politics.