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U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole has been among the most admired women in an annual poll.

Between 1996 and 2003, Dole was among the top 10 women named by Americans based on random phone surveys done by Gallup each December since 1946. She was also in the top 10 in 1987, 1990 and 2005.

She first landed in the top 10 as Transportation secretary under President Reagan and again while serving as Labor secretary under the first President Bush.

Her highest ratings were in the 1990s, when she headed the American Red Cross, particularly in 1996 when her husband Bob ran for president and in 1998 and 1999 when she ran for president. Her lowest ratings were in the early 1990s and after she became a U.S. senator in 2003.

In 2004 and 2006, Dole received one percent, but she was not in the top 10. In 2007, Dole received less than half a percent, her lowest score since 1994.

In recent years, the list has also grown, with women such as Condoleezza Rice, Angelina Jolie and Nancy Pelosi joining such longtime stalwarts as Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Thatcher. That has pushed Dole farther down the list.

The top 10 list does not include respondents who answered "None or No Opinion," "Other" or "Friend or Relative." Those responses would typically receive a substantial percentage.

Dole's rankings since 1987 after the jump.

Correction: Some numbers have been changed based on new information.

Beverly Perdue got a brief mention in the New York Times.

In an article about future female presidential candidates, Week in Review writer Kate Zernike says the most likely candidate will be from the South or west of the Mississippi, possibly a Democrat who has won in a red state.

Later in the story, she mentions possible female running mates for Barack Obama, including Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. 

"Beverly Perdue, the lieutenant governor of North Carolina, who is running for governor, is also named as a prospect," she writes.

Perdue is also listed on an accompanying graphic of 12 potential female candidates, next to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Dome thinks Perdue will probably have to become governor before she's considered running mate or candidate material, however.  

Fred Smith won a straw poll in Henderson County.

At the Henderson County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Lunch Saturday, the Republican gubernatorial candidate received 81 votes, the Burlington Times-News reports.

Former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr, who is from Hendersonville, received 36. Salisbury attorney Bill Graham came in third with 14 votes and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory picked up 10 votes.

A spokesman for Smith said that he also won recent straw polls in Rutherford and Catawba counties.

Voters in the straw poll also picked U.S. Sen. Richard Burr to be John McCain's running mate.

He got 43 votes, followed by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 22, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with 12, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford with 11 and former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney with 10.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated Graham's support. 

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr got two veep points and lost one.

First, the North Carolina Republican gave a speech for likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain at the Louisiana state convention.

"John is consistent and John McCain is fair," Burr said. "John McCain is stubborn, John McCain is real. You know just where you stand with him." 

Meantime, the Kansas City Star included him on a list of potential vice presidents, noting he "has some buzz going for him in the party, but is unknown outside."

A similar article in the Washington Post, however, failed to mention Burr. 

It focused instead on Haley Barbour, Charlie Crist, Mike Huckabee, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Condoleezza Rice and Mark Sanford. 

The Jesse Helms Center will honor Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

During its 20th anniversary celebration in Cary Friday, the center will present Scalia with the James W. Nance Medal of Freedom.

The award is given each year to an individual in government who best exemplifies a devotion to public service and "protection of the nation's foundational values." 

The award is named for Helms' lifelong friend, chief of staff and retired Navy Rear Admiral James "Bud" Nance." Previous recipients include U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The center will also induct five new members into its Free Enterprise Hall of Fame: John W. Pope. A.E. Finley, Ed Morris, Roger Milliken and T. Boone Pickens.

The center, a nonprofit based in Wingate, is named for former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms. 

U.S. Rep. David Price has a new Iraq bill.

A week after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved his bill to bring private contractors under the federal criminal code, the Chapel Hill Democrat is about to introduce more legislation today tackling the Bush administration’s work in Iraq.

He wants to establish a "diplomatic surge" in Iraq, forcing President Bush to set up a special regional security envoy, write a new Middle East diplomatic plan and push the United Nations to get involved as well, Barb Barrett reports.

The bill is part of larger efforts by Democrats to force Bush's hand on narrow aspects of the war in Iraq. Congress' push to withdraw troops has largely failed, leaving Democrats searching for new ways to influence the administration’s work.

"The focus of the debate in Congress has been on ending the war, and rightly so," Price said in a statement. "But no matter what else happens, there is a great need for intensive diplomatic efforts to protect our interests in the region and give Iraqis the best chance to succeed as our troops begin to come home."

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated Price's hometown.

More after the jump.