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Campaigns & Elections, a trade magazine for politicos, named the top "political influencers" in its latest edition. Ten from each state made it to the list.

Five Republicans and five Democrats, a mix of North Carolina lobbyists and campaign consultants, got the nod.

The five Republicans: John Davis of John Davis Consulting; Tom Fetzer, lobbyist and former Raleigh mayor and state GOP chairman; lobbyist Dana Simpson; political consultant Carter Wrenn; and political consultant Chris Sinclair. Davis is actually unaffiliated.

The five Democrats: Political consultant Brad Crone; consultant Mike Davis; strategist Scott Falmlen, a former state Democratic Party executive director; lobbyist Bruce Thompson; and Andrew Whalen, consultant for the Blue Dog Coalition and a former state Democratic Party executive director.

Is Mitt Romney staging a comeback with his debate performance last night? Did Walter Dalton draw any blood in his debate? What are the prospects in the 7^th district race between Mike McIntyre and David Rouzer? Will Debra Goldman be the next state auditor?

Those questions and more will be discussed tonight in a free panel discussion -- “North Carolina: Battleground State” at the N.C. Museum of History at 7 p.m.

Raleigh PR consultant Brad Crone announced Wednesday that he would no longer be serving as spokesman for the Entertainment Group of North Carolina, an association whose members include the owners of video poker machines.

Crone's firm, Campaign Connections, will continue to represent the Internet Based Sweepstake Organization, a group made up of owners of video sweepstakes machines and parlors.

Some gaming operators are members of both groups.

But as Gov. Bev Perdue and legislators toy with the idea of legalizing and taxing some form of computerized gaming, there is an increasing divide between the interests of the state's video poker lobby and those of sweepstakes operators.

The issue has to do with the competing technologies behind the two types of games. Video poker machines, which have been outlawed by the state, are generally older stand-alone consoles similar to an arcade game. The sweepstakes games are generally PC terminals connected via the web to a server at another location.

Because the sweepstakes games are centrally controlled, it would possible for the state to monitor their operation in real time and tax a portion of the proceeds. The video poker machines generally don't have that capability.

As the debate at the legislature proceeds, Crone said those differences could lead to competing priorities for the owners of the varying types of machines.

Crone said the Entertainment Group didn't give him a reason for his dismissal, but pointed out they had also released lobbyist Gardner Payne a few months ago. The video poker group currently has no registered lobbyist.

"My expectation is that they will be going with a Republican firm," said Crone, who has ties to Democrats.

UPDATE: Payne clarifies that the decision for him to no longer represent the Entertainment Group was mutual due to concern about the potential for conflict with another of his clients, the sweepstakes software provider VS2.

"We all agreed that while we are all currently working together, at some point in time there existed the possibility of a potential conflict of interest," Payne wrote in an e-mail. "As such, I elected to continue my representation of VS2. However, we are all working together this session and all agree that private enterprise is the best option for North Carolina."

The N.C. Association of ABC Boards has issued a set of "talking points" laying out arguements against any proposal to sell off the state-run system for selling liquor.

The administration of Gov. Bev Perdue, facing an estimated budget hole of $3.6 billion in the coming year, has hired a consultant to figure out how much the ABC system might be worth if it were privatized.

Among the points made by the board association in an e-mail sent out last week:

• North Carolina ranks third among the 50 states in government revenue per capita from the sale of spirits, while ranking 48th in consumption of liquor.
• The state’s ABC system allows for hard liquor sales in jurisdictions where voters approve it. ABC boards collect significant tax revenue for the State and return profits from the sales to their local governments for the benefit of their communities. ABC boards do not promote consumption and are staffed by local government employees.
• Privatization would not result in any downsizing of state government or reduction of state expenditures. The ABC system for hard liquor is self-supporting. ABC operations are funded from taxes and levies on the product that are paid by the consumer. No state funds are used to operate the system.
• Privatizing the state’s ABC system will mean a significant increase in the number of sale outlets. Profit-oriented private sellers will seek to increase sales, which along with more outlets will result in increased consumption.
• Do we really want hard liquor sold next to beer, wine and milk in big box retailer stores, grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations? Do we really want to make hard liquor available for sale in neighborhoods already struggling with crime and blight?

U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre is mulling a Senate run.

The Lumberton Democrat told the Fayetteville Observer that he is considering running against U.S. Sen. Richard Burr in 2010.

The article quotes Democratic consultant Brad Crone on his chances:

"If McIntyre got in it, he'd be clearly your front-runner because of his status and his gravitas" as a six-term congressman, Crone said. "McIntyre could be a definite player in it. He's got a very good resume, he has done a very effective job as far as constituent service is concerned."

But McIntyre would have challenges, Crone said.

"He’s worked hard in his congressional district, but he's really not known in the northeast or here in the Piedmont, or the western part of the state," he said.

State Sen. Malcolm Graham, a Charlotte Democrat, told the paper he's also taking "a casual look" at a run, and Fayetteville resident Nathaniel Cooper says he will run.

Previously: McIntyre looking at a Senate run.

Tobacco companies and growers bought full page ads in several newspapers across the state today to help boost opposition to a possible increase in the state cigarette tax.

The newly formed N.C. Taxpayers Alliance emphasizes the estimated 50,000 jobs in the state linked to tobacco production and warns that higher taxes will harm the industry. Gov. Beverly Perdue has proposed a $1-per-pack increase, though the Senate is expected to reduce that number.

"It will hurt farm workers and tobacco factory workers," the ad says, "It will hurt convenience stores and their workers."

The ads encourage readers to call their local legislators and encourage them to oppose a tax increase. The advertisements appeared in newspapers in Wilmington, Rocky Mount, Goldsboro, Wilson, Greenville, Burlington, Gastonia and Boone.

The members of the alliance are tobacco companies: Reynolds American, Lorillard, Universal Leaf and Swedish Match, along with the N.C. Tobacco Growers Association and the Cigar Association of America.

See a copy of the ad in the Wilmington Star-News by clicking the attachment.

Barack Obama won the nomination thanks to Southern cities.

An analysis of voting patterns by the Center for Rural Strategies shows that the Democratic presidential nominee won cities in the South handily, helping deliver the region to him despite his losses in rural counties.

Sen. Obama won the Southern cities by about the same margin that Clinton won Appalachia — and urban areas in the South delivered more than twice the number of votes as were cast in all of Appalachia.

They note that Hillary Clinton winning Appalachia by 750,000 votes and Obama winning Southern cities by double that number.

In North Carolina at least, Obama clearly ran an urban-centered campaign, focusing on the Interstate 85 corridor from Charlotte to Raleigh, with side trips to Fayetteville.

And with stops like Research Triangle Park, he was clearly aiming for the New South — a strategy that failed in the past for candidates like Harvey Gantt.

As noted: previously, Democratic consultant Brad Crone says that things have changed.

Hat Tip: Chris Kromm

The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies will hold a panel discussion Wednesday to discuss the possible impact of 527 organizations on the upcoming state and federal elections.

A 527 organization is a tax-exempt organization under federal tax code. The term often refers to advocacy groups, such as MoveOn.org and the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, that avoid regulation by the Federal Election Commission and state elections.

It is illegal for such groups to coordinate advertising with campaigns.

The panel will include Republican consultant Carter Wrenn, Democratic consultant Brad Crone, N.C. Board of Elections Chairman Larry Leake and election law attorney James Bopp. WRAL-TV anchor David Crabtree will moderate.

The event will begin with a 5:30 p.m. reception at the Cardinal Club in Raleigh. The panels will be from 6:15 to 8 p.m. For more information, contact phil.strach@ogletreedeakins.com.

Randy Parton will speak out Friday.

The country singer, who has recently been the focus of a bitter fight over a theater project in Roanoke Rapids, will hold a press conference at the Umstead Hotel in Cary.

Additional Parton family members will attend, according to a news release. It did not specify which Partons, but Dome presumes it's not his sister, Dolly.

"This will provide Mr. Parton an opportunity to set the record straight and to tell his side of the story," said political consultant Brad Crone, who is representing Parton. "Mr. Parton is looking forward to explaining his work and letting the people of Roanoke Rapids and the state of North Carolina know the inside story on the project."

Janet Cowell raised $210,260 by the end of 2007.

The Democratic candidate for state treasurer raised $187,222 from major donors, including state Sen. Martin Nesbitt, Public Policy Polling owner Dean Debnam, political consultant Brad Crone and Capitol Broadcasting owner James Goodmon.

She also raised $16,608 from donors who gave less than $50, and $6,430 from political action committees, including Wal-Mart's PAC, NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina and state Sen. William Purcell's campaign, according to a campaign finance report filed with the State Board of Elections last week.

At the same time, she spent $69,354 on consulting, database software and staff salaries.

That left her with cash on hand of $137,396.