• Increasing Asian American Representation in Local Politics
  • A Popular Burrito Pop-Up Gets a Permanent Spot
  • NC Writers Tell Ghost Stories from Around the State
  • ICYMI: Decoding Durham Campaign Finance Reports
  • A Triangle City Is Among the Happiest in the U.S.?
Credit: Illustration by Nicole Pajor Moore

Good morning, readers.

Cary town council candidate Bella Huang and Apex town council candidate Sue Mu have a lot in common. They’re both Chinese American immigrants, small business owners, and working mothers making their first runs for local office in western Wake County. 

They’re also the top fundraisers in their respective elections.

Huang and Mu have been able to leverage the backing of a new PAC, the Margin of Victory Empowerment Fund, or MOVE NC, dedicated to encouraging political engagement among Asian Americans and championing Asian American candidates. The PAC, founded in 2023, has galvanized a considerable donor base among Wake County’s (and the Triangle’s) growing Asian American population. 

With Huang and Mu following in the footsteps of some of the first Chinese American elected officials in the state, such as state Rep. Ya Liu, and former Chapel Hill town council member Hongbin Gu, we’re likely seeing the beginning of a trend.

“I’m talking to more and more Asian Americans across the state, and from different Asian American backgrounds, that are interested in running for office,” says Shruti Parikh of nonprofit civic engagement group North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT). “They see that others have blazed that trail ahead of them, and they know that with that success, that means that they can also bring their community’s interests forward and make sure that they have a seat at the table.”

Read about their campaigns and the growing political participation of North Carolina’s Asian American residents. And if there’s a local election happening where you live, don’t forget to vote early or on Election Day on November 4. 

—Jane

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The latest from INDY, plus other stories around the state you’ll want to read. Handpicked every day by INDY Editor-in-Chief Sarah Willets.

A Hatch breakfast burrito. Photo courtesy of Talitha Benjamin.

Let’s Roll

A Durham burrito pop-up business with a cultlike following is getting a permanent storefront next month, INDY’s Lena Geller reports.

Ghost Stories

From INDY’s Sarah Edwards: In a new collection of stories, a slate of contemporary Tar Heel writers reimagine classic lore from around the state.

Credit: Illustration by Nicole Pajor Moore

Dollars and Sense

INDY’s Lena Geller dug through Durham municipal candidates’ campaign finance reports. Here’s what she found, from top donors to compliance issues.

Paid Advertising

If you’d like to advertise your business to The Daily’s 20,000-plus subscribers, please contact [email protected].

LOCAL: More businesses in Chapel Hill’s Eastgate shopping center are re-opening, but the threat of future flooding remains, WUNC reports.

LOCAL: Wake EMS will turn off ambulance lights and sirens for many 911 calls, WRAL reports.

STATE: Nearly 1.5 million North Carolinians, including 580,000 children, are about to lose food assistance due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, NC Newsline reports.

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  • What’s your secret, Raleigh readers? CNBC reports Raleigh is the third happiest city in the U.S.
  • Do you know why Durham’s flag has seven stars? Reddit explains.
  • And over in Raleigh they’re talking about parks with easily accessible spots for a quick outdoor lunch break with a view.
  • With a state grant, Cary will continue to host an annual pro soccer tournament with a $1 million prize.
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