LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp) header
LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp) profile picture

Journalist at NC Local covering Western North Carolina. 🌄 Tar Heel, @BlueRidgePublic, @cunyjschool alum.

Sylva, NC
Joined April 2011
Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)Photo by LillyKnoepp (@LillyKnoepp)
Want reporters to come cover your press event? Give us some advance notice, and tell us what the topic will be. #ncpol
This is a broad, across-the-board complaint about campaign and PR folks: Too many of you are sending releases with just hours' notice, particularly for events that your team has obviously had significant notice for. (Speaking engagements, forums, etc.)
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Gas tax relief passes nearly unanimously in House. All but Democratic Rep. Pricey Harrison in support. #ncpol
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LillyKnoepp retweeted
Chelsea Walsh, the former Henderson County GOP chair who was selected tonight to replace Rep. Jennifer Balkcom on the ballot in House District 117 in November, challenged Balkcom in the GOP primary for the same seat in May 2022. The race was decided by 1.2%. #ncga #ncpol
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Rep. Jennifer Balkcom’s new spot on the NC-11 ballot means that Republicans will need to pick a new candidate for the 117th N.C. House district. This is the third time that a Republican candidate has been chosen by committee rather than voters since April. nclocal.org/2026/08/11/new-n…
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LillyKnoepp retweeted
Chad Nesbitt was just live on Facebook discussing #NC11, stating he would be at the meeting tomorrow. He was "asked by 3 committee members" to consider replacing Edwards on the ballot. However, some of those committee members "said no" to nominating him on the floor. #ncpol
As of now, five people are vying to replace Edwards in #NC11. The big news: State Rep. Jennifer Balkcom is the only state lawmaker officially on nomination list. Other candidates are Matthew Burrill, Ken McKim, Chad Nesbitt, and Kristie Sluder. #ncpol
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LillyKnoepp retweeted
Good afternoon, I'm grateful for the overwhelming encouragement I've received from people across Western North Carolina to consider running for Congress. I also want to thank Congressman Edwards for his service to our state and our nation, and for making the right decision for this election. The people of Western North Carolina are resilient. Two years after Hurricane Helene, our communities are still rebuilding. They deserve a representative who will match their grit and determination — someone who will fight as hard in Washington as our families, retirees, farmers, and small businesses fight every day here at home. The 11th District needs a conservative who will stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump, champion Western North Carolina values, and run a campaign that's ready to win from day one — with the organization, the coalition, and the resources to hold this seat. Over the next few days, I'll be talking with leaders and neighbors across the district about my potential candidacy to represent Western NC in Congress. Tim
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Sen. Kevin Corbin shared that he will not seek the NC-11 GOP seat. “I believe my work in the North Carolina Senate is not yet finished,” he wrote on FB. #ncpol facebook.com/share/p/1BxQQxb…
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Lumbee recognition was huge for NC's delegation. Particularly @SenThomTillis. Edwards was willing to skip votes to decorate his employee's xmas tree but drew the line at Lumbee. That vote happened two days after the text on Dec. 17, 2024 and Edwards voted against it. #ncpol
There’s a lot to be troubled by in the Chuck Edwards report, but I was particularly struck by the fact that he apparently skipped votes to help his young female staffer decorate her Christmas tree
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LillyKnoepp retweeted
Reminder that, unlike for the state legislature, people who run for Congress don't actually have to live in the district. Local activists and voters will probably prefer to pick a WNC resident to replace Edwards, but they don't have to. #ncpol #nc11
NEWS: The Executive Committee of North Carolina's 11th district will meet Monday at 6:30pm at the Buncombe County Headquarters to choose a replacement nominee for Rep. Chuck Edwards, according to an email obtained by Axios State Sens. Tim Moffitt and Kevin Corbin, and state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom are all being discussed as possible candidates, according two sources familiar with the process axios.com/2026/08/05/chuck-e…
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Since I started my NC Local newsletter The Trailhead, I've been thinking a lot about trails. Today I published a deep dive about craft trails and how they part of WNC's regional economic strategy. Now this same model is being used in Helene recovery. nclocal.org/2026/07/23/craft…
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I'm working on a story about WNC tourism and found my favorite new chart: an irritation index. Where are you between euphoria and antagonism?
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Here's the full study if anyone is interested: repository.uncw.edu/items/eb…
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LillyKnoepp retweeted
"She does anticipate others will be charged soon. She declined to say who those charges could be against, citing the ongoing investigation." @CommonCauseNC says lawmakers could be charged. #ncpol More here, following up on my reporting last night wral.com/news/nccapitol/more…
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If you're a state employee and you assumed the budget passage means you're getting a raise and bonus in your paycheck this month...you're gonna have to wait longer: wunc.org/politics/2026-07-21… #ncpol #ncga
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