• Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton gets the endorsement of the North Carolina Association of Educators, the state’s teacher union, in his quest to become the next governor.

 

• State Sen. David Rouzer, R-Johnston, the GOP nominee for the 7th U.S. Congressional District seat, is winding up his career in the General Assembly by wooing potential constituents in coastal counties.

 

• House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, met with a group of conservative activists/bloggers to discuss a new version of the voter ID bill.

 

• Republican challengers in two Council of State races are statistically even with Democratic incumbents, a survey by Democratic group Public Policy Polling finds. Debra Goldman and Auditor Beth Wood each get 36 percent support. Steve Royal is one point behind Treasurer Janet Cowell, 35-36. Incumbent Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler has a safe, 14-point lead over Democratic challenger Walter Smith. Lots of undecided voters in all three races.