President Barack Obama is due to arrive at Raleigh-Durham International Airport soon, where he'll be greeted by Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker.

The media are gathered at the airport to watch Air Force One touch down, reports Kevin Kiley.

Then the presidential motorcade will make its way to Broughton High School. The route will take the president through downtown, possibly on McDowell Street, reports Bruce Siceloff on his blog, Crosstown Traffic. The police have bagged parking meters and blocked off downtown streets.

It's time to refresh the old cup of Senate tea leaves.

The Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2010 continues to be completely wide open, though it's increasingly clear that most of the major state officials will pass on it.

Here's the latest conventional wisdom:

THE LAST BIG HOPE: Washington Democrats and national political pundits continue to search for a brand name. U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre is still toying with a run, and Secretary of State Elaine Marshall has lately dipped her toe in the water. A definitive "no" has not come from state Sen. Dan Blue yet.

DARK HORSES: Former state Sen. Cal Cunningham leads the pack of dark horses, though former Obama fundraiser Kenneth Lewis can't be counted out. Marshall's legislative liaison, Robert Wilson, told the Insider he was flirting with the idea, but he never returned Dome's calls and he would not likely run against his boss.

WHO'S NOT RUNNING: U.S. Reps. Heath Shuler, Bob Etheridge and Brad Miller, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, Attorney General Roy Cooper, state Sen. Malcolm Graham, state Reps. Grier Martin and Tricia Cotham, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, and Elizabeth Edwards have all said no. Of course, so did Kay Hagan in 2008.

In Dome's view, Marshall may actually make a run for it: 1) She's interested, since she ran for Senate in 2002; 2) she wouldn't lose her day job (unlike McIntyre or Blue); and 3) at 63, this is probably her last chance to do it. 

That said, Cunningham has a good biography and seems to be exciting the netroots. 

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler has shot down a Senate bid again.

Speaking at a groundbreaking in Asheville, the Waynesville Democrat said he would not run against U.S. Sen. Richard Burr in 2010, according to the Hendersonville Times-News:

"I am not running for Senate," the second-term Democrat said after a ground-breaking ceremony for a new building at the Bent Creek Experimental Forest Station in Asheville. "I am not running for Senate. I am not running for Senate. I have said that a thousand times, and I don't know why they keep coming up (with the idea). Of course they keep coming up and running polls."

Shuler previously pondered — then rejected — a run for Senate, but some Democrats had floated his name again after Attorney General Roy Cooper declined to run. 

Others who have said no to a run on the Democratic side: U.S. Reps. Bob Etheridge and Brad Miller, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, state Sen. Malcolm Graham, state Reps. Tricia Cotham and Grier Martin and Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker.

Scratch another name off the Democratic list.

State Sen. Malcolm Graham of Charlotte shot down rumors this morning that he was considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2010.

"No way," he said.

He had previously told the Fayetteville Observer he was taking "a casual look" at running against U.S. Sen. Richard Burr.

Others who have said no to a run on the Democratic side: U.S. Reps. Bob Etheridge and Brad Miller, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, Attorney General Roy Cooper, state Reps. Tricia Cotham and Grier Martin and Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker.

The Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2010 is wide open.

At this point, any of the major Democratic officials in the state could announce a campaign and quickly move to front-runner status. Or one of the lesser-known candidates could jump in and begin making waves.

Still, a few things are becoming evident:

DSCC THINKING BIG: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is looking for a brand name. Despite its success in 2008 with a state senator with low name recognition, the Washington crowd is looking for a Congressman or current or former statewide official.

WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT: U.S. Reps. Bob Etheridge and Brad Miller, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and state Rep. Grier Martin seem increasingly unlikely. Washington types like Rep. Heath Shuler, who's not ruling it out, while Rep. Mike McIntyre is interested.

STILL UNKNOWN: A few other potential candidates have not been heard from: Raleigh mayor Charles Meeker, former state Treasurer Richard Moore, state legislator Dan Blue, and the rest of this extensive list. (Update: Meeker's out, Blue's answer is ambiguous.)

PRIMARY COMPETITION: Durham attorney Kenneth Lewis seems increasingly likely to run in the primary. Former state senator Cal Cunningham may also make a run for it. Either candidate would lead to a more interesting primary than Democrats faced in 2008.

By picking a female candidate with pro-business credentials and strong North Carolina ties, Democrats neutralized some of Sen. Elizabeth Dole's advantages and set up a contrast between the native and the so-called carpetbagger.

It's not yet clear what their strategy would be against Burr. But here are a few qualities to consider: Son of a Presbyterian minister, college football player, Triad native, and conservative with a record on veterans' issues.

Charles Meeker is not in the running.

The longtime Raleigh mayor told Dome this morning that he's not considering a run for the Democratic nomination to face U.S. Sen. Richard Burr.

"I'm not looking at running for Senate," he said. 

Meeker considered a campaign against Sen. Elizabeth Dole in 2008, but he's not looked at leaving the mayor's seat soon.

"This is the highest office in my view," he said. 

Who else might run for U.S. Senate?

With Attorney General Roy Cooper dropping out of a long-expected run against Republican Sen. Richard Burr, only Durham lawyer Kenneth Lewis is left on the Democratic sid, and even he hasn't committed.

Here's a running list of other contenders:

* Richard Moore: Former state treasurer, failed Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Why he might run: Ambitious, rich pol who won statewide office twice. Why not: May have damaged brand with 2008 campaign.

* Brad Miller: Congressman, former state legislator. Why he might run: He was very publicly courted to run in 2008. Why not: He's just hitting his stride in the House; he may have personal issues.

* Cal Cunningham: Former state senator, U.S. Army reservist. Why he might run: He's reportedly interested in the race. Why not: He has low statewide name recognition and no current post to run from.

* Heath Shuler: Congressman, former NFL player. Why he might run: He spent 118 days publicly thinking it over earlier this year. Why not: He may be too conservative for a Democratic primary.

* Charles Meeker: Raleigh mayor who has been mentioned before. Why he might run: Served four terms as popular mayor of one of state's largest cities. Why not: That didn't help Pat McCrory win the governor's mansion.

* Grier Martin: Young turk in state legislature who turned down 2008 recruiting effort. Why he might run: Probably still kicking himself. Why not: Will need tons and tons of money for a guy with no statewide name recognition.

* Bob Etheridge: Congressman, former state schools superintendent. Why he might run: He's won statewide before and is known as an affable campaigner. Why not: He's just landed a spot on the powerful Ways and Means committee.

* Mel Watt: Congressman, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Why he might run: He managed Harvey Gantt's first campaign for Senate. Why not: He's got a can't-lose position in the House.

* Mike McIntyre: Congressman, member of the Blue Dog Coalition. Why he might run: He could match Burr on conservative issues in the general election. Why not: Those same stances would hurt him in a primary.

* Dan Blue: Former House speaker who recently moved over to the state Senate. Why he might run: He ran for Senate nomination in 2002. Why not: His politics may be too liberal for a statewide race; he'd have to give up his seat again.

* Elaine Marshall: Secretary of state now in her fifth term. Why she might run: She ran for the Democratic nomination in 2002. Why not: The longest-serving current member of the Council of State is in a comfortable job now.

* Janet Cowell: State treasurer, former state senator, former Raleigh councilwoman. Why she might run: She's a savvy pol who's climbed the ladder quickly already. Why not: After only a few months in statewide office, it might be too soon.

* Erskine Bowles: University of North Carolina system president, former Clinton chief of staff. Why he might run: He ran in 2002 and 2004. Why not: He lost both times; he's praised Burr; he's already thinking of retiring.

* Elizabeth Edwards: Health care advocate, wife of former U.S. Sen. John Edwards. Why she might run: She's vastly more popular among voters than her husband. Why not: That's not saying much.

* Another popular, longtime North Carolina mayor — Raleigh's Charles Meeker — considers hanging up his hat after this year. Or not.

* Former Sen. John Edwards' political star may have dimmed, but other members of his constellation are shining on in Washington.

* U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell's "Buy American" requirement for Homeland Security uniforms made it into the final version of the stimulus package.

* State Rep. Alma Adams is pushing a bill that would create a two-track system for sex ed: Abstinence-only and comprehensive.

When do legislators start their jobs?

As noted previously, there is some dispute over when exactly Gov. Beverly Perdue's term began. As it turns out, there's a similar situation for state representatives and senators.

According to Article II, Section 9 of the state constitution, the terms of office "shall commence on the first day of January."

This year, most legislators won't be sworn in until the opening day ceremony on Jan. 28, but their terms have already begun in other days. The legislative Web site has already been updated to include the newly elected, and they began receiving their paychecks on Jan. 1.

A few freshman legislators have decided to get started early.

Sen. Josh Stein of Raleigh was sworn in today at noon in a ceremony in the capitol, while Sen. Malcolm Graham of Charlotte was sworn in there.

Update: Justice Robin Hudson swore in Stein before a crowd of about 250 people, including Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, Sen. Marc Basnight and Rep. Deborah Ross, among others.

"I thought it would be nice to have an opportunity to be with supporters and friends to thank them because (the campaign) as a collective effort," he said.

He said Sens. Don Vaughan and Don Davis will also hold early swearings-in.

Janet Cowell raised $1.7 million in her successful campaign for state Treasurer.

The Raleigh Democrat reported receiving $154,000 from Oct. 19 to the end of the year, according to campaign finance disclosure reports.

Her largest donors from the quarter included several New York and New Jersey contributors who are in the finance industry. Donors who gave Cowell $4,000 contributions in the quarter included New York securities lawyer Jay Eisenhofer, Peter L. Briger Jr., president of New York-based Fortress Investments and John Streiker, president of New York-based Sentinel Real Estate Corp.

Major contributors for the quarter from North Carolina include Frank Meadows, chief executive of Rocky Mount-based Nottingham Investment Co., Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker and two managing directors of Fortress Investments Charlotte office — Roger Eugene Taylor and Joseph N. Walsh III.

Cowell spent $1.6 million on her campaign, leaving her with $135,000.