• State House Republicans caucus this weekend in Randolph County to pick their choice for speaker in the 2015 General Assembly. Six members are seeking the job, and with a supermajority slated to take office in January, this weekend’s selection is a near-certainty to become speaker.
• A new High Point University Poll finds the early “front-runners” for the 2016 presidential nomination among North Carolinians may be former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (Democrat) and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (Republican). They’re the only possible contenders with significant name recognition, as well.
• At a forum in Washington, Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-2nd, says rolling back some of the Obama administration’s regulations on carbon emissions will be a top priority for the 114th Congress.
• Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-10th, says the new Republican-led Congress needs to “start from scratch” when it takes up corporate tax reform. Others disagree.
