Gov. Pat McCrory saw his approval rating climb over the past two months, according to the Elon University Poll. North Carolina residents are evenly split on President Obama but like the state legislature more than Congress.

Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham, gave the invocation for a Senate session that honored his mother.

State Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Yancey, is refusing to comment on an email in which she equated the religion of Islam with terrorism.

Republican leaders are able to move legislation from idea to law more quickly this spring than in recent memory.