More than half of Democratic senators gave to Beverly Perdue.

According to campaign finance reports, 18 of the 31 state senators from the gubernatorial nominee's party have made donations to her since her re-election in 2004. They range from $250 to several thousand dollars.

In all, she received $33,210 from Democratic senators.

The donations are significant because as lieutenant governor, Perdue runs the state Senate. Among North Carolina Democrats, state senators have seen her in action the most.

Most gave from their campaign committees. 

The biggest donor was Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, who gave a total of $8,000. Sen. Dan Clodfelter gave $4,500, Sen. Clark Jenkins gave $4,000, Sens. Julia Boseman and Linda Garrou gave $3,000, and Sen. William Purcell gave $2,000.

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A state senator sponsoring a bill on wider boats is owner of a marine.

Sen. Clark Jenkins, a Tarboro Democrat, said he did not disclose his interest in Broad Creek Fishing Center & Marine when he shepherded a bill through two Senate committees because it wasn't necessary.

"I don't have a conflict of interest, in my opinion," he said, arguing that the entire sportfishing industry would benefit from the bill, not just his marina.

Jenkins' bill would eliminate the need for a permit to pull a boat-trailer combination that's between 8.5 and 10 feet wide and would drop a prohibition against pulling one on Sundays and holidays, when beach traffic is heavier.

State law says no legislator shall participate in a legislative action if they conclude that "an actual economic interest does exist" which would impair their judgment. It also says that it's OK if the benefit to the legislator is no greater than to owners of similar businesses.

Jenkins noted his ownership in the marina on his state ethics dislcosure form. (N&O)

State Sen. David Hoyle ribbed state Sen. Clark Jenkins at Thursday’s meeting of the Senate Finance Committee, waving a cartoon by the News & Observer's Dwane Powell that lampooned legislation close to Jenkins' heart.

But Jenkins got the last laugh.

The committee was about to approve a bill, sponsored by the Edgecombe County Democrat, to allow longer trucks and wider boats on North Carolina highways, Bruce Siceloff reports.

"A little cartoon about our dear friend, Sen. Jenkins," Hoyle said. "He'd be glad to sign it for you any time, and frame it."

Jenkins defended his bill against safety concerns expressed by the Highway Patrol and reported Wednesday in the N&O. After the committee endorsed his bill unanimously and sent it to the Senate floor, Jenkins took the microphone one more time.

"If someone would like for me to enter on the floor of the Senate an amendment restricting The News & Observer from using 53-foot trailers to deliver their product to downtown Raleigh, I'd be glad to do so," Jenkins said to applause and laughter in the crowded meeting room. "Because they're doing it now."

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Barack Obama earned the endorsement of 29 state legislators today.

Led by Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand and former Speaker of the House Dan Blue, the lawmakers repeated the same lines as endorsers who have backed Obama before — that the Illinois senator can bring people together and ignite change across the country.

Blue also challenged the Clinton campaign to keep it positive in North Carolina, saying he had seen nothing but negativity so far in Pennsylvania.

"I hope this is not what we can should expect to come to North Carolina in the next two weeks," Blue said. "Tired old political tactics aren’t going to bring about the kind of change we need."

Blue and Rand said their support comes in part because Obama will help Democrats down the ticket, and because he has committed to win in North Carolina in November’s general election.

Rand said the group will raise money and stump for Obama if  members are asked.

Rand also praised Obama’s ability to raise millions of dollars in part on the strength of $100 donations.

"We're prepared to do whatever. I mean, I'll give him a hundred," Rand said.

After the jump, the list of endorsements.

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Public Policy Polling also works for candidates.

The Democratic polling firm has become well known for its tracking polls on the presidential and gubernatorial races in North Carolina.

But it's also done surveys for more than a dozen state candidates, according to campaign finance reports on the State Board of Elections.

The firm has done work for state Reps. Bernard Allen and Grier Martin; state House candidate Ed Ridpath; state Sens. Clark Jenkins and Dan Clodfelter; and judicial candidates Wanda Bryant, Debra Sasser and Elizabeth McCrodden. In Raleigh, it's polled for Mayor Charles Meeker and City Councilman Thomas Crowder.

It's also polled for the Wake County Democratic Party, the N.C. Association of Educators PAC and the Conservation Council of North Carolina. 

Tim Boyum says a few senators joined the House today.

On his Political Connections blog, the News 14 Carolina reporter says that it wasn't just House members in the chamber today for Thomas Wright's expulsion:

Curiosity apparently got the best of the Senate as well. At least 10 Senators sat in the back of the House Chamber at one time or another. That included Majority Leader Tony Rand, Sen. Brock, and Sen. Jenkins among others.

That would be Sen. Andrew Brock, a Mocksville Republican, and Sen. Clark Jenkins, a Tarboro Democrat.

Beverly Perdue has received $60,300 from other politicians campaign funds since 2005.

According to campaign finance reports filed since her 2004 re-election as lieutenant governor, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate received donations from 38 campaigns.

The top contributor was state Rep. Bill Owens of Elizabeth City, who gave $6,000.

She received $4,000 donations from former Sen. Pete Bland of Craven County; Sens. Clark Jenkins of Tarboro and Dan Clodfelter of Charlotte, Rep. Jim Harrell of Surry County; Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand; Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines; and Rep. Arthur Williams of Beaufort County.

She also received $2,500 from New York Lt. Governor David Patterson.

Perdue got $2,000 each from state Sens. Linda Garrou, Julia Boseman and Bill Purcell; New Hanover County Sheriff Sid Causey and former Gov. Jim Hunt.

She received $1,700 from former Rep. Pete Cunningham, $1,500 from Asheville District Attorney Ron Moore, and $1,000 apiece from Bob Atwater, Mark Jones and A.B. Swindell.

Other donations came from Sens. David Hoyle, Katie Dorsett, Charles Albertson and R.C. Soles; Orange County Commissioner Mike Nelson; Madison County Sheriff John Ledford; Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll and lieutenant governor candidate Hampton Dellinger, among others.

Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett has been invited to explain to legislators Tuesday how DOT selected a management consultant that won a $3.6 million contract to help DOT make itself more efficient, businesslike and accountable.

In April, DOT picked McKinsey & Co. and agreed to its bid price, $1.1 million, for a contract to evaluate the department. McKinsey was the high bidder out of seven consultants that sought the job. The other bids ranged from $30,000 from the Shpigler Group to $495,000 from Mercer Management Consulting.

Mark Foster, DOT’s chief financial officer, said in a March 30 memo that four bidders were rejected because they lacked experience or “lacked development and use of proprietary organizational and strategic thinking tools and techniques.” The three finalists were Mercer, McKinsey and Booz Allen Hamilton, which offered to evaluate DOT for $143,000.

Foster said McKinsey was the best qualified because of the depth of its experience and the resources it would commit to DOT. Public agencies are not required to hire the lowest bidders for professional services. The State Purchasing Office agreed in April to pay McKinsey $1.1 million and in June an additional $2.5 million for McKinsey’s help in implementing changes at DOT.

Read more after the jump.

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Rep. Thomas Wright was on paid leave.

The Wilmington Democrat was one of 15 state lawmakers who were paid for the two-day special session even though they didn't show up for at least one day, according to a story in the Wilmington Star-News.

As per his usual routine, Wright did not return calls to a reporter.

According to the Wilmington Star-News, checks were sent to Wright and Reps. Becky Carney, Jerry Dockham, Phil Haire, Hugh Holliman, George Holmes, Edgar Starnes, Russell Tucker and R. Tracy Walker and Sens. Katie Dorsett, Eddie Goodall, Malcolm Graham, Jim Jacumin and Clark Jenkins.

Reps. Jeff Barnhart and Ric Killian were absent and asked not to be paid. Rep. Karen Ray missed the second day and asked not to be paid for it.

Two lawmakers — Reps. Ty Harrell and Grier Martin — were present, but asked not to be paid anyway.

Correction: The absences are based on final roll-call votes on the second day of the session. Sens. Jacumin, Dorsett and Goodall were in session on Sept. 10, according to votes taken that day. No roll calls were taken in the House on Sept. 10.

Transportation boosters didn't get a penny of the new money they'd hoped for in the House and Senate budget proposals, but they invited legislators to breakfast anyway.

N.C. Go, a lobby arm for transit agencies, construction businesses and civic groups, made a final pitch for more money Wednesday in testimony before a House committee, Bruce Siceloff reports.

Earlier that morning, over eggs and jelly biscuits, the co-chairs of the legislature's Joint Transportation Oversight Committee told the group there was no agreement on what the state needs for road and transit improvements — and little appetite for new transportation taxes.

Sen. Clark Jenkins, a Tarboro Democrat, noted that Gov. Mike Easley rejected a prediction from his own Department of Transportation that the state would fall $65 billion short of its transportation needs in the next 25 years.

Rep. Nelson Cole, a Reidsville Democrat, said drivers can expect to see plenty of toll-financed projects in coming years.

"We've got to go to toll roads in a bigger way than we've ever anticipated," Cole said. "It's unfortunate, but we do."

More after the jump.

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