On this week's episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum gives us a look at what we can expect from Washington politics in 2025.

He spent several days there during the recent snowstorm, sitting down with three newly elected members of Congress from North Carolina: Rep. Pat Harrigan, Rep. Addison McDowell and Rep. Brad Knott.

He also talks with Washington pundit Doug Heye, who graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1994. Later, he gets 2025 political previews from Spectrum News national political reporters Taylor Popielarz and Reuben Jones.

This week, Tim Boyum interviews top Republican strategist Paul Shumaker about his analysis of the 2024 elections, and their implications for the future.

Shumaker has won five U.S. Senate races as a consultant and currently works for U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, who is up for reelection next year.

Shumaker offered insights into the race, including thoughts on Governor Cooper’s possible run and potential 2028 gubernatorial candidates.

A Tying It Together tradition — Billy Warden and Brian Lewis join Tim for yet another hilarious, and somehow, informative, look at the year in politics and a look ahead to 2025.

Billy Warden, chief strategy officer with RLF Communications, also sings his annual parody Christmas song. Brian Lewis, founder of New Frame, gives us some insight into what 2024 might mean for 2025.

It’s always a fun to celebrate the holidays and year-end, especially after a rough-and-tumble election season.

On this week’s episode, we have a spirited debate over the words liberal and conservative.

What does it mean to be liberal or conservative? Do those terms automatically connect to Democrat and Republican?

This debate started during a recent TV segment between Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari and former mayor pro tem Braxton Winston, who also ran for Labor Commissioner this year. Sit back with your new presents, a cup of coffee, and see how you fit — or don’t — into these widely used terms.

In a recent surprise, North Carolina Senate Democrats announced a new leader that was not Dan Blue. Sen. Sydney Batch will take his place next year after a decade of different leadership.

Sen. Batch joined host Tim Boyum to discuss her background in an incredibly successful family, working with her husband at their law firm, surviving breast cancer, and how she plans on leading Democrats much differently than her predecessor, and how she will get along with Sen. Phil Berger.

“I have a lot to learn. I’m grateful to Sen. Blue to help guide me through this, and I have no doubt that Sen. Berger will let me know exactly how the trains stay on track,” she told Tim in the interview.

Sen. Batch added she believes the state is much more purple than the legislature is made to believe due to gerrymandering. She believes in respectfully disagreeing and disputing where possible and standing up for her party’s values.

On this week’s episode, longtime political guru John Hood joins host Tim Boyum to discuss the early days of launching one of North Carolina’s first think tanks, and the impact all think tanks have in today’s political world.

For over two decades, Hood directed the John Locke Foundation and presently authors a nationally syndicated newspaper column for over 50 newspapers. Recently, he’s written seven books, including a historical-fantasy novel.

The pair also have a thorough conversation about redistricting and its influence stemming from the 2020 Census, and the need for non-governmental organizations like John Locke Foundation.

On this week’s episode of Tying it Together, top North Carolina Democratic strategist Morgan Jackson joins host Tim Boyum to break down the 2024 election from his perspective.

The two break down North Carolina Governor-elect Josh Stein and other major positions going to Democrats, despite Donald Trump winning the presidency by a decent margin, and what national Democrats might learn from North Carolina.

Jackson, from Nexus Strategies, is a top strategist for current Gov. Roy Cooper and Governor-elect Josh Stein. His firm also regularly works with presidential campaigns.

After months of promises and debate, the 2024 presidential election likely came down to how people felt about the economy. On this week’s podcast, host Tim Boyum talks with two economists about the promises made, and what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy in terms of tariffs, product prices, interest rates, immigration and more. Our guests are N.C. State economist emeritus Dr. Michael Walden and UNC Charlotte economist Dr. John Connaughton.