On Thursday, as expected, North Carolina Republicans released new Congressional maps that will gerrymander another member of their party into a seat. 

The new map, which was drawn without public input, all but assures Rep. Don Davis, a US Air Force veteran in eastern NC, of being defeated in 2026.

The new maps move eastern NC voters around to minimize the power of non-Republican voters. (Cardinal & Pine’s Michael McElroy did this fantastic explanation of what gerrymandering is in 2024. It still applies.)

It follows President Trump’s request this year for more Republican states to manipulate voting maps to elect more Republicans and keep GOP control of Congress. 

Texas Republicans did what he asked, prompting California Democrats to ask their state’s voters to allow them to gerrymander seats in response. Republican states like Kansas and Indiana are also expected to consider new gerrymandered maps. 

Earlier this week, I talked about why courts in North Carolina and America will have to intervene or things will only get worse. Check it out.  

North Carolina state House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, left, and Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, in September. Hall and Berger unveiled new gerrymandered maps Thursday that will all but guarantee the Republicans of winning another seat in Congress. (AP Photo/Gary D. Robertson, File)

Friday is here. It’s cool and crisp and autumnal. Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter: 

You see this picture and it’s like you can hear an orchestra warming up. 

Lovely stuff from Jack Cornell near Asheville. 

A “No Kings” demonstration in June in Raleigh. Thousands of North Carolinians are expected to participate in demonstrations this weekend. (Wileydoc via Shutterstock)

On Thursday, we published a listing of “No Kings” events in North Carolina that, unfortunately, contained several inaccuracies. 

We’re working to make sure that never happens again, but in the meantime, here’s a corrected listing of some of the largest events planned for this weekend. For a full and complete listing, go here. Just put in your zip code and you’ll probably find one near you.

These events are happening not just in left-leaning, urban areas. Many are planned in small towns and rural counties which are typically dominated by Republican voters—like a “No Kings” march in Southern Pines from 10am to 11:30 am Saturday.

One organizer in Moore County told us she is expecting a few hundred Democrats, Republicans, and independents to march. 

Cardinal & Pine’s team will be out and about covering the demonstrations. Keep an eye on our social accounts for the latest. 

A scene from Russia’s 2020 crackdown on opposition to dictator Vladimir Putin. (Jonas Petrovas via Shutterstock)

If it’s Friday, it’s time for a little “civics 101.” 

Over the next couple weeks, we’re unpacking some of the terms we’re seeing thrown around on social media. I think it’s helpful to understand each other if we’re going to debate our differences. 

You’ve probably heard words like autocracy, fascism, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism a lot recently. Let’s all get a little smarter about what they mean and how we spot them. 

Autocracy is a type of government where one person holds all the power. Think dictatorships and monarchies. 

Authoritarianism—as we explained last week—is a system where one person or a small group holds most of or all of the power. 

Totalitarianism is sort of like authoritarianism, but in this system, the people in power dominate their citizens’ public and personal lives.

And then there’s fascism, which you’ve probably heard come up a lot recently. Fascism is a combination of authoritarianism and totalitarianism. In it, the government controls industry and commerce. They control your personal life. They suppress opposition. They undermine free and fair elections. And they tend to preach nationalism – as in our country first. 

Fascism is on the rise in the 21st century. And it tends to surge in times of hardship—like, for instance, in a post-pandemic world with huge levels of inflation, war and devastation in the Middle East, and the threat of nuclear annihilation from dictators like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. 

This week, I hopped on camera to explain authoritarianism, why it matters, and what we can do about it. 

1. Raleigh to see more weekend traffic ahead of 1st full day of NC State Fair, 2nd day of Billie Eilish. WRAL

“West Raleigh is bracing for a traffic backup on Friday as the start of the first full day of the North Carolina State Fair coincides with the second Billie Eilish concert at the Lenovo Center.”

2. This winter may be drier, warmer than usual for western North Carolina. WLOS

“Snow lovers may be a little disappointed after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its Winter Outlook for the 2025–26 season on Oct. 17, 2025.”

3. North Carolina’s low-tuition college initiative is projecting a multimillion-dollar deficit — again. WUNC

“Under the program, in-state students at four UNC System schools pay only $500 per semester for tuition and out-of-state students $2,500.”

William Howard via Shutterstock

Last week, we took you back to the world’s first flight. 

You folks were all over it, correctly identifying the Wright Brothers memorial in Kill Devil Hills. The first right answer came from Cardinal & Pine reader Edwin Speas. 

This week, we’re staying on the coast. Where are we, folks? 

Do you want to support Cardinal & Pine’s mission while showcasing your products or services to an engaged audience of 200,000+ subscribers?

Contact advertise@couriernewsroom.com for more information.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Billy Ball. I’m an NC native and journalist. I tend to lean left on opinion, but I lean no way on facts. Today’s edition includes stories from USA Today via Reuters. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

Cardinal & Pine is free for everyone. Your support makes our work possible.