Gov. Beverly Perdue is making her case for the stimulus.

Perdue flew to Williamsburg, Va., this morning on a state plane to participate in a panel of governors urging Congress to pass an economic stimulus package.

She has said that spending on infrastructure and other economic development projects will help reduce North Carolina's high unemployment rate.

Also attending are New York Gov. David Paterson, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, along with members of the U.S. House Democratic caucus.

The meeting at the Kingsmill Resort is closed to the press, although Perdue and others will speak afterward. 

Here's a takeaway from Illinois: Lieutenant governors matter.

Sometimes.

As Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces corruption charges and possible impeachment, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn stands to become the chief executive of the Land of Lincoln.

To the east, former New York Lt. Gov. David Paterson now heads the Empire State. In Arizona, Secretary of State Jan Brewer may replace Gov. Janet Napolitano, who has been nominated for U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. (The state has no lieutenant governor.)

In Arkansas, Bill Clinton's election as president bumped up Lt. Gov. Jim Guy Tucker, whose later conviction made Lt. Gov. Mike Huckabee governor.

In North Carolina, the lieutenant governor's office has little power. It has the smallest budget of any Council of State or Cabinet office, the smallest staff and the fewest responsibilities.

With the blessing of Gov. Mike Easley and Senate leader Marc Basnight, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue built up a decent portfolio on military and health issues, but none of those perks came with the office. Her only vote was to break a tie on the state lottery.

In recent years, the office has been seen as a placeholder for a future gubernatorial run, although until Perdue that hadn't been a very good strategy.

But history has a way of following its own path, and sometimes the No. 2 — soon-to-be Walter Dalton — becomes a very important person overnight.