Marriage amendent becomes issue in Senate race

In a new campaign flyer, Republican John Aneralla hits his top opponent over the marriage amendment.

In the flyer, sent to District 41 Republicans, Aneralla says Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte opposes the constitutional amendment which would ban same-sex marriage.

Not true says Tarte.

He says he supports the constitutional ban. Aneralla says he based his statement on a questionnaire for the conservative Civitas Institute that Tarte completed a few weeks ago. In it, he wrote that he opposes same-sex marriage, "but not in the constitution."

"I hadn’t made up my mind," says Tarte, who admits to having struggled with the issue."Are we going to run into unintended consequences where we’ll deny benefits to people? How about heterosexual couples who aren't married? Will common law marriage go away? ...  I would prefer not to have it in the constitution if I had my druthers."

Tarte said he's come down for the amendment, however, and said so during a forum this week.

Pittenger gives his campaign $1.1 million

Republican Robert Pittenger has put at least $1.13 million into his 9th District congressional campaign, a new report shows. That makes the total he raised through mid-April $1.4 million. That's four times as much as his nearest GOP rival in the 10-man primary.

Pittenger, a real estate invester, put another $150,000 in his campaign in April. The money has allowed him to run an aggressive media campaign on TV and radio and put glossy mailers into the homes of many GOP voters.

He's not the only one giving or loaning himself money. State Rep. Ric Killian loaned his campaign $101,000. Financial consultant Edwin Peacock took out a $249,999 home equity loan. And insurance executive Dan Barry put in nearly $74,000.

Pittenger had more cash on hand -- $451,000 -- in mid-April than any other candidate had raised in the whole campaign.

And Monday the first Super Pac weighed in on the 9th District race. The Washington-based

Citizens for Conservative Leadership spent $6,600 on a mailer opposing former Sheriff Jim Pendergraph, a frequent target of Pittenger's ads.

That's still far short of the $371,000 independent groups have spent in the GOP primary in the neighboring 8th District. Most has come from the Club for Growth, which supports dentist Scott Keadle.

The Daily Show: 'The Democrats' South Carolina'

The N.C. Democratic Party's recent scandal was too good for Jon Stewart to pass up on the Daily Show.

In a segment labeled 'Tarred Heels," the comic poked fun at the affair that prompted the resignation of executive director Jay Parmley and calls for the resignation of party chairman David Parker.

Stewart played a news report about accusations that Parmley sexually harassed a male employee.

"Look on the bright side -- no love child," Stewart said.

He then played a clip of Parker's convoluted news conference where he said Parmley liked to "close talk."

"Congratulations North Carolina," Stewart said. "You have become the Democrats' South Carolina. Before long your governor will be taking tango lessons on the Appalachian Trail and your residents will close-talking your horses."

Club for Growth becomes Club for Keadle

The conservative Club for Growth pumped another $209,000 into the congressional campaign of 8th District Republican scott Keadle this week, bring the total of its PAC and Super PAC to more than $384,000.

And the Club may not be finished.

"The Club for Growth PAC believes Scott Keadle is true fiscal conservative .... and he’s worth every penny," said Club spokesman Barney Keller. “In the past the Club for Growth PAC has done everything  its endorsed candidates need to be victorious.”

Keadle, who lives in Mooresville, is one of five Republicans running in the May 8 primary for the right to take on Democratic incumbent Rep. Larry Kissell.

To put the money in perspective, the Club contributions are more than two of the candidates -- Fred Steen and John Whitley -- had raised through the first quarter. Richard Hudson and Vernon Robinson are also running.

The Club money is paying for a new run of TV ads for Keadle.

Independent groups spend big for Keadle in 8th

Only three independent groups have been active in North Carolina congressional races this year. Two of them are involved in the 8th District Republican primary.

The two independent groups have spent more than $118,000 on behalf of Mooresville dentist Scott Keadle.

On Friday the American Dental Association reported spending $11,000 on a phone survey for Keadle.

The conservative Club for Growth has spent more than $107,000 on his behalf, much of it on TV buys and direct mail.

The independent spending is a boost to Keadle. A report filed this week showed he's loaned himself $250,000. He's among five Republicans running for the seat held by Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell.

The biggest independent group operating in North Carolina has been a super PAC called the American Foundations Committee. It's spent $366,715 on behalf of former U.S. Attorney George Holding in his 13th District race against Wake County Commissioner Paul Coble.

The News & Observer reports that the super PAC is funded mainly by members of the Holding family.

Pittenger: Pendergraph 'living off the taxpayers'

Republican Robert Pittenger's latest mailer hit mailboxes Tuesday. One mailbox belonged to Jim Pendergraph.

The headline: "Jim Pendergraph's Guide, How to Get Rich in Politics."

The part that galled Pendergraph, who pulled a folded copy of his pocket at a forum Tuesday night, was on the inside.

"Jim Pendergraph has been living off the taxpayers for his entire adult life," it said.

Pendergraph, an Army veteran, was a police officer for the city and county before being elected Mecklenburg County sheriff in 1994. He retired from that job in 2007 and worked briefly for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington.

At the forum, he said he took the criticism "on behalf of" every person in military uniform, every cop on the street and every sheriff. The crowd of Iredell County Republicans applauded.

Republicans top legislative rankings

No surprise here: Republicans topped the latest legislative effectiveness ratings by the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research.

GOP wins in 2010 turned legislative power upside down when Republicans captured the General Assembly for the first time in more than a century. Not surprisingly, their effectiveness -- as measured by surveys of lawmakers, lobbyists and some capital reporters -- rose as a result.

The Center also released legislative attendance records. Two Democratic senators from Charlotte were among those with the body's lowest rankings. Sen. Charlie Dannelly ranked 45th with 91.3 percent attendance. Sen. Malcolm Graham ranked 48th with 86.4 percent attendance.

In the House, GOP Rep. Ric Killian of Charlotte ranked last in attendance. He was hospitalized for hip replacement surgery at the beginning of the session and missed special sessions because as an Army Reserve colonel he was called to active duty in Afghanistan.

Here are the 2011 ratings for Mecklenburg County-area lawmakers (with 2009 rankings in parentheses). There are 50 members in the Senate, 120 in the House.

SENATE
Bob Rucho, R: 5 (37)
Dan Clodfelter, D: 14 (5)
Tommy Tucker, R-Union: 23 (not in office)
Charlie Dannelly, D: 44 (18)

HOUSE
Thom Tillis, R: 1 (32)
Ruth Samuelson, R: 18 (70)
Ric Killian, R: 42 (75)
Becky Carney, D: 46 (19)
Bill Brawley, R: 47 (not in office)
Tricia Cotham, D: 88 (51)
Martha Alexander, D: 94 (30)
Rodney Moore, D: 104 (not in office)
Kelly Alexander, D: 105 (84)
Beverly Earle, D: 110 (49)