Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin is reconsidering her plans to spend campaign cash to help fellow Democrats running for election this year, including U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley, she told Axios this week.

Why it matters: It's a tough election year for Democrats across the country, including many running in North Carolina. Democrats here are vying to block Republicans from seizing a supermajority in the state legislature and taking back control of Congress.

• Baldwin's sizeable account could help the party overcome the disadvantages they are facing this year.

Context: Wake County Democrats snubbed Baldwin last week when they opted to endorse one of her opponents, Terrance Ruth.

Between the lines: The county party's move may mean Baldwin needs to spend more of the $500,000 her campaign has on hand on her own race for re-election, rather than contribute to fellow Democrats in tight races.

• Her campaign will have to "shift a little bit" and think strategically about how she can support other Democrats, she told Axios.

What she's saying: "We're at a time where we need to put the party first if we're serious about electing Cheri Beasley, if we're serious about keeping our Senate veto-proof," Baldwin said. "There are a lot of people out there who need our help. I would much rather see us all working together instead of divided."

• Also among those Baldwin hopes to help are two state senate candidates: current state Sen. Sydney Batch, who is running for re-election in a competitive district that includes the suburbs of Wake County, and Mary Wills Bode, a Democrat running for a district that includes North Raleigh.

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Despite being snubbed by Wake County's Democratic Party, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin feels confident in her chances of being re-elected, noting her large financial backing is proof of "a diversity of support."

Driving the news: Baldwin said her No. 1 priority for her second term in office would be affordability and expanding housing choices. The city will need to be creative and willing to change, she told Axios in an interview.

What she's saying: "We are going to become more dense — that's just a fact," Baldwin said. "We are growing from a small city into a big city. People don’t like change, but we’re all going to have to face the fact that we’re going to be impacted by change."

Yes, but: Baldwin's first term has received pushback from some residents, including a group called Livable Raleigh that tried to recall her for pushing elections from last year to this November. That group, whose leadership includes two former city council members, has criticized some of the growth tactics in Raleigh's neighborhoods and donations to Baldwin from developers.

• Baldwin's mayoral challengers have also disagreed with her vote to disband the Citizen Advisory Committees system, saying it hurt resident engagement. (Baldwin says the nearly 50-year-old system needed reform and attendance was dismal.)

Full story... Mayor Baldwin: Growing housing choices is top priority

🗳 Election and voter advocacy group Common Cause sued legislative leaders Tuesday over a law that prevents unaffiliated voters from serving on North Carolina's State Board of Elections.

• Why it matters: If Common Cause succeeds, it could be a blow to the majority party's power in setting election rules and investigating election-related laws on the current state board.

🚫 The NC Chamber doesn't want its name associated with an amicus brief filed by 50 businesses and community leaders last week that backs a court-ordered transfer of $785 million to fund the Leandro plan to provide public school students with a "sound basic education."(News & Observer 🔒)

🚗 VinFast has spent $44 million buying the Chatham County land where it will build its EV factory. (WRAL)

Quote du jour

"We may be on the verge of a digital civil war, where one group of states has rules on online speech that conflict with rules in another group of states."

— Matt Perault, director of the Center on Technology Policy at UNC, on the pressures tech companies face to change the way abortion information gets shared and labeled, to Axios' Ina Fried.

Legends Nightclub, a longtime fixture of Raleigh's LGBTQ+ nightlife scene, will change locations and a 30-story tower could be built in its place.

Driving the news: After CityPlat, the developer that owns the property, submitted plans for the tower, principal Vincenzo Verdino confirmed to Axios that Legends will not be part of it.

Details: CityPlat is working with the development company Trammell Crow on the tower, which is expected to have nearly 400 apartments as well as restaurant and retail space. The Triangle Business Journal first reported those plans.

Catch up quick: The developer bought the Legends property for $4.3 million in 2020.

• At the time of the sale, the owners of Legends hoped to find a buyer while ensuring the future of the club.

What we're watching: Verdino said in an email that Legends will announce a new location soon. The nightclub has not yet responded to a request for comment.

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