Outside money

A survey found that 10 top legislators raised a quarter of a million dollars out of state.

The research, released today by the N.C. Public Interest Research Group, focused on fundraising from within a legislator's district compared to elsewhere.

It found that an average of 73 percent of the $1.9 million in campaign donations came from outside their district.

That includes 14 percent that came from outside North Carolina.

Sen. Walter Dalton, a Rutherfordton Democrat, did the best elsewhere, raising $59,144 of his $422,460 from other states.

On a percentage basis, Rep. Beverly Earle, a Charlotte Democrat, came in highest, with 27 percent of her $62,305 from out of state.

Others studied were Sens. Phil Berger, Tom Apodaca, Linda Garrou and Kay Hagan, and Reps. Joe Kiser, Bill Owens, James Crawford, and Debbie Clary.

They were chosen because they are chairs or ranking minority members of the House or Senate Appropriations Committee during this election cycle.