Dispatches from the campaign trail, October 1, 2014

• A $5 million ad buy from the Karl Rove group Crossroads GPS again takes aim at incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan’s vote for Obamacare.

• At a weekend campaign stop in Iredell County, Hagan told the crowd, “We’re kicking [GOP nominee] Thom Tillis out as speaker of the House” — an unusual statement, since Tillis always planned to retire from the General Assembly when it adjourns later this year and Hagan is the one putting her job at risk.

• Tillis signed the pledge by U.S. Term Limits, vowing not to serve more than two terms in the Senate and supporting an amendment to U.S. Constitution limiting the terms of U.S. House and Senate members. Hagan has not taken that pledge.

• A Politico report noting that a company owned by Hagan’s husband profited from nearly $400,000 from the federal stimulus plan she voted for (and that a bank in which Tillis owns stock got stimulus help, too) is getting attention from both the Hagan and Tillis camps.

• For a candidate trying to downplay his celebrity, Clay Aiken certainly has no shame when it comes to tapping his friends in the entertainment business to collect money for his congressional campaign. After a Tuesday stop in Hollywood to raise money largely from the gay and lesbian community, tonight the 2nd District Democratic nominee will be the beneficiary of a “Best of Broadway” campaign fundraiser in New York.

• The Rev. Odell Cleveland, a registered Democrat and pastor of one of the largest churches in the Triad, endorses Republican Mark Walker in the 6th Congressional District contest.