Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Gov. Beverly Perdue flexed her political muscle this week by calling out the Highway Patrol over a spate of tawdry behavior and vowing to fire any trooper who doesn't comply with the expected code of conduct. Host Donna Martinez is joined by Rick Martinez, news director of the North Carolina News Network, stategovernmentradio.com and NewsRadio 680 WPTF, who explains what happened at Perdue's press conference and the reaction of Patrol management to her dictate for a reorganization plan. Rick also discusses the political theater that occurred when state Sen. Fletcher Hartsell (R-Cabarrus) issued a subpoena to UNC-TV and the latest legal woes for former Sen. John Edwards.

Then Republican congressional candidate B.J. Lawson talks about his effort to unseat Democratic incumbent David Price for the 4th District seat in Congress. Lawson lost to Price in 2008. That's followed by a conversation with Terry Hardison of the Constitution Party of North Carolina about the group's push to gather the 82,000 signatures needed to qualify for the North Carolina ballot.

And finally, Martinez delves into the dramatically changing voter registration landscape in our state. Bob Hall of Democracy North Carolina joins Martinez to discuss his group's findings about the shift to "Unaffiliated" as well as legislative prospects for ethics reform and an expansion of public financing of campaigns.