Bob Orr received $284,318 in donations by mid-April of this year.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate raised $76,845 during the first quarter of 2008, according to a campaign finance report that went online today.

Major donors included retired Chapel Hill attorney James Ball, Raleigh developer Max Barbour, Wake County Commissioner Paul Coble and John W. Pope's widow, Joyce.

In addition, Orr loaned his campaign $15,000 in January. Previously, he loaned his campaign $5,000. That raised his campaign's coffers to $304,318 in total.

In the first quarter of this year, Orr spent $68,286 on salaries, office expenses, staff, fundraising and a mailing with the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, which endorsed him.

He ended the quarter with $10,371 in cash on hand.

Clarification: From the Orr campaign: "We did not do a mailing with the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg. They were raising money for a voter information mailer and we sent them a small contribution."

Correction: Dome mistakenly included loans in Orr's totals in an earlier version of this post.

Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt endorsed Beverly Perdue for governor today. He did so, he said, because North Carolina needs "real leaders."

Gantt, speaking at a press conference in Charlotte, praised Perdue's commitment to health care and the environment, reports Peter St. Onge of The Charlotte Observer.

"Most importantly," said Gantt, "we need a leader who understands North Carolina values, who understands what families are talking about when they sit down at the kitchen table."

The endorsement from one of N.C.'s revered black political figures should help Perdue build on her already healthy support from the state's African-Americans, including an endorsement from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Political Caucus.

Perdue, who said she considered Gantt "one of North Carolina's great heroes," said she remembered being proud to watch Gantt in his unsuccessful U.S. Senate runs in the 1990s against then Sen. Jesse Helms.

"In rural North Carolina, this urbanite, well-educated, sophisticated guy could sit at anybody's table and relate," Perdue said. "He still remains one of the great political leaders."

Chalk one up for Bob Orr in one of his rival's hometown.

The Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg has endorsed Orr, a former state Supreme Court justice who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor.

Orr couldn't help but point out that the endorsement did not go to one of his rivals for the GOP nomination - Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory.

"However, I am concerned with Pat's failure once again to reach out in his own community as shown by his failure to attend the (group's) meeting," Orr said in a statement. "For a Republican to win a statewide election, it is critical to reach out to people, even those who have not traditionally supported Republicans."

The group has also endorsed Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

The Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg has endorsed Beverly Perdue.

By a vote of 52 to 16, the black civic group endorsed the Democratic gubernatorial candidate over her primary rival, Richard Moore.

"The Caucus was impressed with Bev's commitment to and understanding of issues affecting our community, and we know that with her as Governor we'll have a voice in Raleigh," chairman Dwayne Collins said in a statement.

The organization cited her proposal to increase the minimum wage, strengthen the affordable housing trust fund and expand health care coverage, among other things.

Perdue has also been endorsed by EMILY's List, the N.C. Association of Educators, the National Association of Social Workers, the United Transportation Union, the National Women's Political Caucus, the N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Communications Workers of America, the N.C. Troopers Association and the N.C. Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

The Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg endorsed Jim Neal.

The group announced its endorsement this afternoon of the Chapel Hill investment banker, who is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

"We thought Jim is the ideal candidate to defeat Elizabeth Dole, and that is why we are behind his candidacy," said chairman Dwayne Collins in a statement. "He was the best candidate on the issues that affect all citizens, but especially members of the African American community."

The group has also endorsed Democrats Janet Cowell for treasurer and Hampton Dellinger for lieutenant governor.

The Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg has endorsed Janet Cowell.

The group announced today that it was endorsing the state senator from Raleigh in the Democratic primary for state treasurer, citing her work on teacher pay, improving schools and making college more affordable.

"The Caucus is a powerful ally and they are well known for the influence they have in one of North Carolina's most populated counties," Cowell said in a statement.

She has also been endorsed by the state chapter of the AFL-CIO, NARAL North Carolina, the N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers, EMILY's List, the Conservation Council of North Carolina and former auditor Ralph Campbell.

She faces Buncombe County commissioner David Young and Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel in the primary. 

Earlier: Black Political Caucus endorses Hampton Dellinger. 

The Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg endorsed Hampton Dellinger.

Dellinger and a Democratic rival for the lieutenant governor nomination, state Sen. Walter Dalton, met with the caucus membership Sunday night at the Little Rock AME Zion Church.

"The large crowd of caucus members and candidates present showed how important the group's endorsement is," Dellinger sad in a statement. 

Gubernatorial candidates Bob Orr and Beverly Perdue, U.S. Senate candidates Kay Hagan and Jim Neal, and Treasurer candidates Janet Cowell, Michael Weisel and David Young also attended. 

The caucus is one of four major black voters' groups in a major North Carolina city that routinely makes political endorsements. 

All gubernatorial endorsements are not created equal.

Earlier, we noted that UNC-Charlotte Professor Ted Arrington is skeptical that Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's rack of endorsements will help in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

But there is one group—or rather a set of groups—that Arrington thinks could make a difference.

Those are the black voters' groups in each of North Carolina's major cities that routinely make political endorsements: The Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association, The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, The Simkins PAC in Greensboro and The Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

That's because the groups generally have a good reputation in the black community and they work hard to inform voters.

"They will have people right outside the doors of the precincts with a marked ballot," he said.

Still, Arrington said the groups may choose to skip endorsements in the primary.