No-go, says Senate Leader Phil Berger of Rockingham County, who announced this week he will not seek the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Democrat Kay Hagan. William Peace University political science professor David McLennan weighs in on Berger’s decision, how it impacts the race, and the prospects for the most well known of the GOP crop, House Speaker Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg County. Then host Donna Martinez gets additional reaction from Rick Henderson of Carolina Journal, who says he wasn’t surprised at all by the news. Martinez and Henderson also discuss the NC GOP’s call for an investigation into the liberal advocacy group Progress NC, an offer to Democrats and Republicans who want a free I.D. to vote, the discontent of some Republicans with Rep. Renee Ellmers of the 2nd District, and the popularity of 7th District Democrat Mike McIntyre. The two also share a laugh over a Twitter explosion related to the fashion style of 6th District Rep. Howard Coble and an off-microphone comment about his smoking habit by President Obama, and the amazing number of booze-related questions on the ballot across North Carolina this fall.  Then Martinez gets the latest polling data on election law reforms from Dr. Martin Kifer, director of the High Point University poll. Martinez also shares recent polling data from the Civitas Institute. That’s followed by perspective from Ran Coble of the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research about the prospects for the GOP to hold on to its newly acquired power in the future. Then Cate Edwards talks about her new job and her father, disgraced North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, and Duke University political science professor David Rhoade explains why Republicans don’t want compromise on Capitol Hill.