The VIPs in the crowd in Greensboro were more local.

At a rally for Barack Obama today, the highest-ranking candidate for state office was Agriculture Commissioner candidate Ronnie Ansley.

Obama gave him a shout-out and recognized Congressional candidates Roy Carter and Teresa Sue Bratton, Greensboro Mayor Yevonne Johnson and state Rep. Pricey Harrison.

Also at the event: State Rep. Alma Adams and state Cultural Resources secretary Libba Evans.

Not present: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue or Senate candidate Kay Hagan, who is from Greensboro.

Update: The inestimable Mark Binker of the News & Record says he spotted Rep. Earl Jones as well.

Second Update: A spokeswoman for Hagan said she had a previously scheduled event. 

Now that filing is done, the Republican primary is pretty clear.

Three Council of State races on the GOP ballot will be competitive.

For governor, Salisbury attorney Bill Graham, Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory, former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr and state Sen. Fred Smith are joined by longshot candidate pecan farmer Elbie Powers.

For lieutenant governor, state Sen. Robert Pittenger, former Congressional candidate Greg Dority, former lieutenant governor candidate Jim Snyder and Timothy Cook are running.

Tryon resident Joe Johnson, former House Speaker Richard Morgan and Eric H. Smith are running for the nomination for superintendent of public instruction.

Several candidates have no primary challenge.

Randolph County attorney Bob Crumley will face Attorney General Roy Cooper, Burlington attorney Jack Sawyer will face Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, state Rep. Bill Daughtridge will run for treasurer and former Raleigh Councilman John Odom will run for insurance commissioner.

Three incumbents, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, state Auditor Les Merritt and Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry, also have no primary challengers.

With filing is over, the Democratic primary is shaping up.

Four Council of State races have three or more challengers, including the races for open seats of governor, lieutenant governor and state treasurer.

For governor, Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue as well as longshot candidate Dennis Nielsen are facing off, while state Sen. Walter Dalton, Hampton Dellinger, Canton Mayor Pat Smathers and Winston-Salem Councilman Dan Besse are running for lieutenant governor.

State Sen. Janet Cowell, Buncombe County commissioner David Young and Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel are in the race for state treasurer.

In three races, a primary challenge will determine who can face off against a Republican incumbent.

Retired Army colonel Fred Aikens and former auditor Beth Wood are vying to challenge Auditor Les Merritt in the fall. Former state Rep. Wayne Goodwin faces David C. Smith for insurance commissioner. Economic developer Mary Fant Donnan, John C. Brooks, Ty Richardson and State Personnel Commissioner chairwoman Robin Anderson are facing off to run against Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry.

Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson faces a primary challenge from N.C. Association of Educators president Eddie Davis.

Raleigh attorney Ronnie Ansley doesn't have a primary in his challenge against Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, while Attorney General Roy Cooper and Secretary of State Elaine Marshall have no competition.

Raleigh attorney Ronnie Ansley said he hopes to challenge Republican Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler next year.

Ansley, 45, said he comes from an agriculture background in Northampton County and recently was elected president of the Future Farmers of America Alumni organization. He has bachelor's and master's degrees in agriculture education from N.C. State University and Clemson University, respectively, Rob Christensen reports.

Ansley's name might be familiar. He lost to Beverly Perdue in the 2000 lieutenant governor's race, to Brad Miller in a 2002 U.S. House race, and lost again in 2004's N.C. Supreme Court scrum.

Troxler was elected in a close race in 2004, edging out Democrat Britt Cobb after a several-month long dispute over the vote count. Cobb, who is now secretary of administration, had been appointed agriculture commissioner by Gov. Mike Easley after Meg Scott Phipps resigned as a result of a fundraising scandal.