Mitch Kokai

Senior Political Analyst
Mitch Kokai is senior political analyst for the John Locke Foundation. He joined JLF in December 2005 as director of communications. That followed more than four years as chief state government reporter for News 14 Carolina, now known as Spectrum News. The job included extensive coverage of the General Assembly for the 24-hour local regional television news channel.

Before News 14 Carolina, Kokai worked as a radio news reporter for seven years. He started a radio news department at WENC-AM in Whiteville, then led Chapel Hill’s award-winning radio news team at WCHL-AM. He spent two-and-one-half years as news director and assignment editor for Raleigh’s WPTF-AM.

Mitch is a Columbus, Ohio, native, and a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate. He has lived in North Carolina since 1989.

Posts by Mitch Kokai (page 1)

  • Mueller, Pelosi, and impeachment

    Susan Ferrechio reports for the Washington Examiner on the potential impact of public testimony this week from special counsel Robert Mueller. Congress last week voted to table articles of impeachment against Trump. It’s the third time Democrats have brought an impeachment measure to the House floor. But 95…
    Mitch Kokai, July 23, 2019

  • McCready in the GOP’s crosshairs

    Charlie Hoffman reports for the Washington Free Beacon on a new campaign targeting Dan McCready, Democratic candidate in North Carolina’s special 9th District congressional election. The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) launched a microsite Monday knocking North Carolina Democratic congressional candidate Dan McCready over his solar company’s alleged ties…
    Mitch Kokai, July 23, 2019

  • Wall fight in the Supreme Court

    Kevin Daley of the Daily Caller writes about the U.S. Supreme Court’s involvement in the political battle over a southern border wall. Environmental groups and House Democrats urged the Supreme Court not to disturb a lower court order blocking the reallocation of military funds for border wall projects.
    Mitch Kokai, July 23, 2019

  • A case against reparations

    Graham Hilliard of National Review tackles the issue of reparations for slavery. Reparations are an ethical disaster. Proceeding from a doctrine of collective guilt, they are the penalty for sins of which hardly anyone living stands accused. An offense against common sense as well as morality, reparations would…
    Mitch Kokai, July 23, 2019

  • Trump and the leftist of the left

    John Fund of National Review Online explores progressives’ approach to beating President Trump in 2020. This month, Netroots Nation met in Philadelphia. The choice was no accident. Pennsylvania will probably be the key swing state in 2020. Donald Trump won it by only 44,000 votes or seven-tenths of…
    Mitch Kokai, July 23, 2019

  • New Carolina Journal Online features

    Kari Travis reports for Carolina Journal Online on the debate over smokable hemp and the N.C. farm bill. Jordan Roberts’ Daily Journal highlights new research from Duke scholars that raises serious questions about Medicaid.
    Mitch Kokai, July 23, 2019

  • Martin Center highlights N.C. views on student debt

    Shannon Watkins of the Martin Center writes about North Carolinians’ response to student debt concerns. Student loan debt has reached the dizzying level of nearly $1.6 trillion—largely due to ever-soaring tuition prices and students taking on financial burdens that far outweigh their earning potential. The issue has gripped national…
    Mitch Kokai, July 22, 2019

  • Will’s magnum opus emphasizes Locke

    George Will‘s career-capping volume, The Conservative Sensibility, cites 17th-century English philosopher John Locke on 35 different pages. In addition to crediting Locke (along with Thomas Hobbes) as the starting point of the “classical liberal tradition” in the English-speaking world, Will explains why defenders of freedom are wise…
    Mitch Kokai, July 22, 2019
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