• 7th Congressional District nominee David Rouzer won a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention after all. He’ll join fellow GOP challengers Richard Hudson (8th District) and Mark Meadows (11th District), all of whom will speak during today’s afternoon session.
• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who will deliver the keynote address at the RNC tonight, says North Carolina is a crucial state for the Romney campaign and Republicans in general.
• The State Employees Association of North Carolina’s political action committee refused to endorse any candidate in the races for governor or treasurer. In the treasurer’s contest, SEANC PAC said Democratic incumbent Janet Cowell does not back the employee group’s push to have an independent board manage the pension fund; Republican challenger Steven Royal supports that idea but is not on the same page with the group on other issues.
• Ad wars have reached the state Senate District 19 race, with an independent group sending a mailer citing Democrat George Tatum’s scandals when he ran the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. Republican Wesley Meredith says he thinks the fliers are accurate but he has nothing to do with them.
• A new Civitas poll puts Republican Nathan Ramsey slightly ahead of Democrat Susan Wilson in the state House 115 race; the district leans slightly Democratic in registration.
