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N.C. Rep. Fred Steen, a former congressional candidate for the 8th District, has endorsed Richard Hudson. Steen, who won 15 percent of the vote in the May 8 primary, cited Hudson’s experience and knowledge of the 8th District when making his endorsement.

Hudson, a former congressional chief of staff and one-time aide to former Rep. Robin Hayes, is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination after finishing first in the primary election. Hudson, however, failed to get the 40 percent needed to secure the nomination. He will face Scott Keadle, an Iredell dentist, in a July 17 runoff for the chance to face Democratic U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell in the general election.

Keadle, who received 22 percent of the vote in the primary, has also received key endorsements from former competitors. The day after the primary, Winston-Salem City Council member Vernon Robinson, who received 18 percent of the vote, and neurosurgeon John Whitley, 13 percent, announced their support for Keadle.

As his competition endured criticism for questioning President Barack Obama’s birthplace, congressional candidate Scott Keadle of North Carolina took the high road last week and said he hadn’t spent “two seconds of my life thinking” about Obama’s birthplace.

But that’s not what Keadle told a tea party group last month in Rowan County, N.C., during a heated primary race for the Republican nomination for North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District. Keadle, who’s now in a two-man runoff July 17 with former congressional chief of staff Richard Hudson, told the Rowan County Tea Party Patriots in April that he’d demand an investigation into the president’s eligibility, whatever the personal costs.

“If you’ll elect me to Congress, I will absolutely make sure that I don’t shut up until there is an investigation to find out if the president is eligible to be the president,” Keadle told the group, according to a video of the event. “That’s the end of that. And, they can do whatever they want to me.”

Asked about the apparent contradiction, Keadle said Monday that he’d made a mistake, was caught up in the adrenaline of the forum and had failed to qualify his statement. He said he had no intention of pursuing an investigation of Obama’s birthplace unless constituents asked him to.

“I didn’t get it right that day. I didn’t think I got it that bad, but I did,” Keadle said, adding later, “Yes, I do believe he was born in the United States and no, I don’t want to be dragged into the middle of this.”

See a video on the jump below.

The North Carolina governor’s race between Democrat Walter Dalton and Republican Pat McCrory is likely to be a money magnet for outside groups who see it as the GOP’s best chance to pick up a governorship this year.

Both national parties, conservative super PACs, anti-tax groups and labor unions are likely to pour money into North Carolina, the largest state holding a governor’s race in 2012. Some campaign strategists estimate at least $20 million will be spent between now and November. Read the full analysis of the race here.

More political headlines:

--Scandal-stained David Parker burst from behind the curtain, strutting on stage to reclaim the chairmanship of the troubled N.C. Democratic Party in grand fashion Saturday with some saying the wizard orchestrated the dramatic party convention to his favor. To get a glimpse of how the event hurts Democrats broadly, take a look at this headline.

--In his column, Rob Christensen discusses how religion courses through the state's politics, helping to explain Tuesday's vote on the constitutional marriage amendment.

Hoover has cancer.

The 10-year-old bulldog gained national exposure after being featured in a TV spot with his owner Richard Hudson, the Republican frontrunner in the 8th District Congressional Race.

A day after learning that he’ll be in a two-man runoff with second-place finisher Scott Keadle of Iredell, Hudson said he had to take his 10-year-old bulldog to the veterinary for chemotherapy treatment. Hudson and his wife, Renee, learned in December that the dog had cancer in his lymph nodes. Hudson said the veterinary caught the cancer early and it should be curable.

In the television spot, Hudson sits on his front porch with his dog and takes a shot at Congress and his potential Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell.

"Hoover here's a good watchdog. Our congressman, Larry Kissell, he'll let Obama run up trillions in debt, without barking one bit. Hoover consumes everything in sight. And Congress? Same thing."

Going into 2012, the 8th Congressional District GOP primary was one of the hottest races in the state. Republicans think incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell is vulnerable and the primary attracted a packed field.

And even though the 10-candidate race to replace retiring Congresswoman Sue Myrick is getting more attention now, the 8th GOP primary is still big money and big TV.

Scott Keadle is loaded with Club for Growth cash.  Richard Hudson boasts a number of establishment Republican endorsements. And state Rep. Fred Steen -- who is endorsed by House Speaker Thom Tillis -- is hitting a local theme. His new TV ad (above) features local folks and was filmed and produced locally. The kicker: “Like me and my campaign this commercial is 100 percent local,” Steen says.

Former Gov. Jim Martin has endorsed Richard Hudson in the GOP primary for the 8th district House seat.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell and one of his Republican opponents are both touting a new poll for the Kissell campaign.

The poll shows Kissell leading each of three Republican candidates in the 8th District race. He led Richard Hudson, who pollsters ZacMcCrary and John Anzalone called the "perceived Republican frontrunner," 46 percent to 36 percent.

Richard Hudson, who is seeking the 8th district GOP congressional nomination, has begun his TV advertising campaign with a commercial featuring his bull dog Hoover.

Former U.S. Sen. Lauch Faircloth is backing Tony Gurley in the race for Lt. Governor. 

"Tony will provide the conservative leadership and vision that we need in Raleigh right now," said Faircloth, a Republican who served in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 1999.

Gurley, a Wake County commissioner,  faces state Rep. Dale Folwell and architect Dan Forest in the race for the GOP nomination. 

UPDATE: Faircloth also endorsed Richard Hudson in the 8th Congressional District primary, where Republicans six are running. 

"Richard Hudson has been a leader in the conservative movement in North Carolina for more than 15 years,"  Faircloth said in a statement. "He will be an effective conservative congressman."

As we suggested recently, Republican Richard Hudson is securing the support of the Helms family in his bid for the 8th Congressional District. A formal announcement came Monday.

"I know what a true conservative is," said Dot Helms, the wife of the late U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms. "Richard Hudson is a true, dyed-in-the-wool conservative the people in the Eighth District can trust. I enthusiastically endorse his candidacy."

Read the entire press release below.