• Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton says, as governor, he would not shift 600 state positions from career civil servants to political appointees — a move made during the short session of the General Assembly. Dalton urges Pat McCrory to make a similar pledge.
• The Obama campaign announces a $77-million TV ad buy between now and Election Day. North Carolina broadcasters will get $7.65 million of the bounty.
• Rep. Larry Kissell, D-8th District, leads a Bloomberg News story on Democrats who are keeping their distance from President Obama and the Democratic National Convention.
• The National Federation of Independent Business launches its own ad blitz (primarily radio and print) in North Carolina and other battleground states highlighting a pending “tidal wave” of new federal regulations.
• Speaking of NFIB, the advocacy group for small business owners has endorsed Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-7th, for re-election.
• Republican volunteers from Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina will head to North Carolina to aid the campaign of Mitt Romney.
