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The court battle continues. This week, the North Carolina Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of the state’s election maps, which were redrawn by Republicans in 2011. The high court previously ruled the maps were legal, but a ruling from the nation’s highest court advised North Carolina to reconsider its maps case in light of the Supreme Court’s opinion in an Alabama case. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson tells host Donna Martinez about the issues being litigated and the potential impact if the court were to rule in favor of the opponents of the maps. The two also discuss the legislature’s wavering this week on exactly how many primary races should appear on the ballot in March 2016. The presidential primary had been headed for a March 15 ballot, but some lawmakers want to save money by putting all the primaries on the March ballot, rather than in May. Henderson also gives Martinez the latest details in the continuing problems for Rep. Robert Pittenger of North Carolina’s 9th congressional district. Pittenger has now drawn a primary challenger. Then we turn to comments made by Gov. Pat McCrory about working with legislators on the state budget, comments made during a media briefing this week. That’s followed by Martinez’s discussion with Don van der vaart, secretary of the state’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources, about the battle between the Obama administration’s EPA and many states, including North Carolina, over who controls waters and streams. Next is a talk with a senior North Carolina advisor to Republican Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign. Jonathan Felts tells Martinez why Bush will be, in his estimation, the nominee of the Republican Party. And finally, NC State Professor Andy Taylor talks about North Carolina’s influence as a battleground state, and the changing role and power of the state’s two major political parties.