U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield and the head of ElectriCities traded words over an proposal to curb carbon emissions through a cap-and-trade system.

Graham Edwards, CEO of ElectriCities, told the Elizabeth City Rotary Club that cap-and-trade would drive up energy costs dramatically, the (Elizabeth City) Daily Advance reports. 

In a cap-and-trade system, carbon emissions would be limited, but companies could buy and trade allowances. ElectriCities supplies power for 32 cities and towns and Graham said the system could drive electricity costs up as much as 55 percent over 20 years.

Butterfield, a Wilson Democrat, was "disappointed" by those comments, and he wrote a letter to the newspaper.

"Studies by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office found that 40 percent of American households would see little or no cost increase, and that the remaining households would see a maximum increase of 50 cents per day even before discounting the savings achieved from improved energy efficiency," Butterfield said. "A study by the non-partisan Energy Information Administration resulted in similar findings."

Asked about Butterfield’s response, Edwards acknowledged Congress was planning offsets to benefit some portion of residential customers but he didn’t know the details. He explained his projections concerned only wholesale electric costs.

"We don’t look at the residential or the individual rates," Edwards said.

Next year's race for U.S. Senate helped turn Asheville into a preview of the Democratic primary next year, as three candidates for the job were in town to mingle.

Former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, lawyer Kenneth Lewis and Secretary of State Elaine Marshall were in town for the Vance-Aycock dinner, an annual gathering of Democratic faithful, which this year sold 500 tickets for a $100, a plate dinner, the Asheville Citizen-Times reports.

Lewis and Marshall have filed the necessary paperwork to run. Cunningham is exploring a race. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican, is running to keep his seat and Democrats believe they have a chance at beating him.

The Asheville Citizen-Times caught up with Cunningham, Lewis and Marshall and they attempted outshine each other.

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Frank Roche, said he is tired of watching U.S. Rep. David Price coast to easy election victories.

Roche, who moved to Apex from Manhattan in 2007, has taken time off from his career as a foreign exchange trader to run for Price's seat next year.

"He has taken these election cycles with one arm behind his back," Roche said. "We're hoping to get him a little more involved this time."

Roche, 46, said he's seen skepticism from within Republican circles about his chances of unseating Price, who has been in Congress since 1987, except for one, two-year term.

"It's a common refrain from political operatives in this state. A little grin and 'good luck to you,'" Roche said.

Roche said he plans to run a campaign focused on the U.S.'s interests in trade and foreign issues. He opposes Democratic proposals on health care and a cap and trade system on carbon emissions.

Earlier this month, B.J. Lawson, who lost to Price in the last election, decided not to run again.