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TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: As the final two days of the self-imposed crossover deadline begin, it's crunch time. You can tell from the lobbyists working the halls, either trying to get a bill to move or asking committee chairman to "pray on it" for a little while longer. And the controversial bills are coming the surface. A House committee will consider a bill to extend "protections of conscience" to more medical professionals and cover more things, such as providing contraception. In the same committee, another measure dubbed the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" is sure to recall attempts earlier this session to declare the state's ability to establish an official religion.

The full House - which convenes near 2 p.m. -- will also consider a bill to soften rules on where local governments must post public notices. A controversial amendment would tell newspapers how much they could charge for such advertisements. The Senate this afternoon will consider measures to amend environmental regulations and repeal local smoking bans. Gov. Pat McCrory is spending another day in New Orleans at a Republican Governor's Association event.

WOS ROADSHOW CONTINUES: A week after a major gaffe by Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos, her statewide tour to tout Medicaid reforms continues. She visits Durham on Wednesday where she will encounter members of the Medical Professionals for Expanded Health Access who expect to question her about the state's decision to reject a Medicaid expansion. Wos blamed Democratic Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin for the decision -- even though it was ultimately made by her boss, Gov. Pat McCrory. The event starts at 4 p.m.

***Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo -- a roundup of North Carolina political news and notes. Send tips to dome@newsobserver.com.***

In case there was any doubt — and there shouldn't be any at this point — Republicans have painted a really big target on the back of Democratic Congressman Mike McIntyre's back.

McIntyre, the 7th district lawmaker from Lumberton, barely survived a GOP challenged last year in his newly drawn district.

The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee has now put McIntyre in its Red Zone, a program with a team of political operatives dedicated to defeating certain Democrats.

There are seven Democrats slated for special attention in the Red Zone program: McIntyre, John Barrow of Georgia, Jim Matheson of Utah, Ann Kirkpatrick and Ron Barber of Arizona, Nick Rahall of West Virginia and Collin Peterson of Minnesota.

UPDATE The McIntyre campaign responded with a statement: "Last fall's election is over, and it is time to work together to create jobs and take care of the needs of our area. People are sick of the negativism and distortions that this Washington political group promotes. Congressman McIntyre will continue to do the job he was elected to do and is grateful for the Republicans, Democrats, and Independents who worked together to support him."

U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers of Dunn, a potential U.S. Senate candidate next year, has not yet begun cranking up her money-raising operation.

She raised $97,797 in political contributions during the first quarter of the year, according to federal campaign reports. She had $133,586 on hand at the end of March. That is fine for a congresswoman seeking re-election, but not the kind of money associated with a Senate race.

Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan raised $1.6 million during the first quarter and had $2.7 million on hand at the end of the reporting period.

Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre of Lumberton, who will likely face another tough re-election effort again next year, raised $118,779 in the first quarter and had $181,672 cash on hand.

Former State Sen. David Rouzer formally declared his candidacy Tuesday for Congress, seeking a rematch with Democratic Congressman Mike McIntyre. Rouzer lost one of the closest races in the country to McIntyre last November, losing by 654 votes.

"I will fight to cut Washington's wasteful spending habits, work to get the government off of the backs of entrepreneurs and small business owners and get our national debt under control so that every individual has the opportunity to be prosperous and achieve the American dream," he said in a statement in Wilmington.

Democratic Congressman Mike McIntyre already is facing fire from the Republican group that tried unsuccessfully to oust him in the 2012 election. The National Republican Congressional Committee announced Wednesday it is airing a new TV ad criticizing the 7th District lawmaker for his recent budget vote.

The move comes days after the NRCC-backed candidate from 2012, former state Sen. David Rouzer, said he would challenge McIntyre in 2014. The Democrat was the only to win a targeted congressional race in North Carolina last year. See the ad script below.

Former state Sen. David Rouzer confirmed to the Insider Thursday that he is running for Congress in 2014 in the 7th Congressional District, the Insider's Patrick Gannon reports.

The Johnston County Republican said he would make an official announcement early next week. Rouzer won the district's GOP primary in 2012, but lost a close race in November to longtime U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-Lumberton, in a more conservative district after the recent redistricting process.

McIntyre won by 654 votes out of nearly 337,000 cast in the district, which includes all or parts of 12 Southeastern North Carolina counties. Rouzer represented Johnston and Wayne counties in the Senate from 2009-2012. McIntyre hasn't announced his candidacy for re-election, but there are indications that he will seek a 10th term.

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: The voter ID talk continues today at 1 p.m. in a House committee after more than four hours of comments Tuesday about the topic -- but not an actual bill. (More on this below.) Other House committees will consider an immigration measure to restrict the use of Mexican consular documents and a bill to limit lottery advertising. The House convenes at 3 p.m. The Senate at 2 p.m. to take a final vote on the Charlotte aiport authority. A Senate committee will consider UNC Board of Governors nominations at a 4 p.m. meeting. Gov. Pat McCrory lists no public events on his schedule.

McCRORY JOB RATING HOLDS STEADY: The Republican governor's approval rating stabalized in the latest Public Policy Polling survey after a month in which his negatives spiked. The March poll from the Democratic firm put McCrory's approval rating at 49 percent with 35 percent disapproving. Another 16 percent remain unsure. Pollster Tom Jensen previewed the numbers Tuesday on News14's Capital Tonight program with Tim Boynum. Check Dome for more when the full poll is released later Wednesday.

***Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo -- the shot of caffeine that gets the North Carolina political crowd started. Send news and tips to dome@newsobserver.com. Read more news and analysis below.***

National Democrats are launching a plan today to save vulnerable incumbents like North Carolina's Mike McIntyre.

In a program dubbed "Frontline," the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will target 26 districts to help boost its lawmakers as part of a strategy to win the U.S. House in the 2014 elections. As described in a Politico report, the effort will give the incumbents advice on strategy, get-out-the-vote efforts and fundraising.

National Republicans are gleefully cheering the news that Democratic Congressman Mike McIntyre is likely to face a primary challenger.

New Hanover County Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, the only Democrat on the board, announced his candidacy Tuesday. “It’s right politically, as well as for my family right now,” he told the Wilmington Star-News. “My middle daughter will be in college next year and I talked to my wife about it and we agreed that now is the time."

“I wanted to put the word out now and let people know who I am and what I’m about. I wanted to let people know what my intentions are,” Barfield continued. “It’s always good to be out there first.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee's spokeswoman Katie Prill sent an email asking: "So is this the bittersweet end for Mike McIntyre? Not only has the NRCC announced that McIntyre will be a top target for the 2014 election cycle, now he is facing a tough primary challenge."

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan ranks in the ideological middle, according to the latest rankings from the National Journal. The Democrat, who faces re-election in 2014, ranks the 48th most liberal of the 100 senators, or 52 most conservative, depending on how you look at it.

Her Republican counterpart U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is the 23rd most conservative member in the chamber, the nonpartisan national political magazine found. National Journal ranked the lawmakers on 116 votes that showed differences in ideological viewpoint in the 112th Congress.

Among Democrats in the House, Congressman David Price is the most liberal at No. 32, followed by Mel Watt (45), former U.S. Rep. Brad Miller (83), G.K. Butterfield (121). On the Republican side, former U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick was the 32nd most conservative, followed by Reps. Renee Ellmers (43), Virginia Foxx (55), Patrick McHenry (62), Howard Coble (153) and Walter Jones (242).