Here's one man's opinion: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole is in jeopardy this year.
Washington Post writer Chris Cillizza, who regularly ranks the competitiveness of U.S. Senate races around the country, ranked Dole's race ninth on his blog Friday. It was the first time Cillizza put the Salisbury Republican in his Top 10. He cited the strength of the newly chosen Democratic nominee, Kay Hagan, a state senator from Greensboro.
How national analysts handicap the race could affect other factors in the election, such as fundraising and visits from high-profile supporters.
Another view: The Cook Political Report's most recent rating describes the seat as "solid Republican." But that rating is two months old. What will the next rating show? -- David Ingram
Bush to visit troops at Fort Bragg
President Bush will visit Fort Bragg on Thursday to speak to troops. Expect to hear accolades for the troops rather than political talk about the war supplemental funding bill being wrangled through Congress right now.Fort Bragg received the news Friday, when its commander said the 82nd Airborne division's 1st brigade would return from Iraq three months early. The unit of 3,500 paratroopers will leave Iraq in July.
"The president looks forward to visiting Fort Bragg and thanking our soldiers and their families for their service and sacrifice in the war on terror," White House spokeswoman Jeannie Mamo said. -- Barbara Barrett, (Raleigh) News & Observer
Bailey and Mackey: Rivals no more
Six months ago their rivalry split Mecklenburg County Democrats and awoke racial divisions in the community. But Chipp Bailey and Nick Mackey have moved on.
This week, the two shook hands and professed mutual support when they met at the Uptown Democratic Forum. It was the first time they'd met since Mackey beat Bailey in a party election for sheriff, only to have it overturned. County commissioners then appointed Bailey.
"Chipp and I were battling for the position," Mackey said after the encounter. "We never had anything personal against each other." -- jim morrill
First Obama, then not Obama
Republican Dan Bishop is one of Mecklenburg County's most conservative commissioners. So why was he thinking about voting for Barack Obama?"My first impression of him was that he was a figure who would transcend race divisions," says Bishop. He changed his mind when he read Obama's two books.
"I found them to be extravagantly race-conscious," he says.
Because he "can't stand" fellow Republican John McCain, Bishop says he'll have a hard time deciding how to vote.
"I might write in a choice," he says. -- jim morrill
Campaign guru moves into spotlight
As the longtime manager of Pat McCrory's mayoral campaigns, Victoria Smith always managed to stay out of the spotlight. But not tonight.
Smith will be honored in Wilmington by the N.C. Federation of Republican Women at the group's "Tribute to Women" banquet.
A California native, Smith managed McCrory's seven mayoral campaigns starting in 1995, the year he was first elected. She has run other campaigns since, including Republican Bob Rucho's successful state Senate primary this year.
"When she's focused on the issue of winning a campaign," Rucho says, "she's relentless." -- jim morrill
Seeking whereabouts of Dulin's data
The N.C. Senate campaign of Andy Dulin has still not filed a campaign finance report showing its activity for the first part of this year.
Under state law, the report was required to be postmarked April 28, almost three weeks ago. It would disclose where the campaign raised money from -- and how it spent the money -- from Jan. 1 through mid-April.
Bob Rucho defeated Dulin in the May 6 Republican primary for a Senate seat that covers southern Mecklenburg. Rucho has filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections over Dulin's delay and other issues, and the board is investigating.
Dulin is a member of the Charlotte City Council. Neither he nor his treasurer, Mike Ellison, returned messages Friday.
Also filing late: Mary Fant Donnan, a Democratic candidate for N.C. labor commissioner. Her report wasn't received until Tuesday. Her campaign cited a computer glitch. -- David Ingram
