A former Edwards staffer has joined the White House staff.

Christina Reynolds, who served as research director and senior communications adviser for former Sen. John Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign, will become director of media affairs for President Obama.

A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Reynolds worked on South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson's 2002 re-election campaign, served as communications director for former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle's 2004 campaign and served as research director for Edwards in 2004.

She has also worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and as director of rapid response for the Obama campaign.

Previously: Former Edwards staffers doing well in D.C.

Hat Tip: Mike Doyle 

U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell will have a birthday fundraiser.

The Biscoe Democrat will hold a birthday party and North Carolina barbecue at the National Democratic Club Townhouse in Washington on Jan. 28 — three days before he turns 58.

Tickets to the event range from $500 for a guest to $5,000 for a chair.

The event is being promoted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which backed Kissell's campaign.

Previously: Kissell to hold "defense breakfast" in Washington.

Hat Tip: Sunlight Foundation

U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell will host a fundraiser Friday morning.

The Biscoe Democrat will hold a "Defense Breakfast" with major donors at the National Democratic Club Townhouse in Washington, D.C.

Contributions range from $500 as a guest to $5,000 to chair the event.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which supported Kissell's run for the House last year, is helping distribute tickets.

DENVER - Lenny Julius of Emerald Isle was among the 10 voters who met with Sen. Barack Obama backstage last night before Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention.

Julius is a 67-year-old Vietnam War veteran who served with John McCain in the Navy and supported McCain in 2000, reports Rob Christensen.

But Julius said that McCain has become too strongly tied with the foreign and domestic policies of President Bush, and so he is supporting Obama.

Even more out-of-state money is headed here.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee plans to spend $1.6 million to attack U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, according to the liberal blog Talking Points Memo.

The ads would be designed to boost schoolteacher Larry Kissell's chances in a rematch.

The Cook Political Report ranks the race as a "Toss Up" and Hayes took the unusual step of attacking Kissell in a TV ad in mid-June.

The outside money could even the money playing field. According to the Federal Election Commission, Kissell had $231,583 in cash on hand at the end of June, while Hayes had $1.2 million.

But the real winners may be North Carolina TV stations.

Already, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is committing $6 million, the Democratic National Committee is raising money for the N.C. Democratic Party to use, and the Republican Governors Association is talking about spending here.

The Cook Political Report has downgraded U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry's re-election chances.

The nonpartisan political analysts have changed the Cherryville Republican's race against Hickory attorney Daniel Johnson from "Solid Republican" to "Likely Republican."

The report still rates Concord Republican Rep. Robin Hayes' rematch with Biscoe schoolteacher Larry Kissell as a "Toss Up."

All other Congressional races are rated as solidly favoring the incumbent, whether Republican or Democrat.

"While it's not likely that a majority of the races moved from "Solid" to "Likely" Republican will become competitive by November, the poor national climate for the GOP and the DCCC's unprecedented financial edge makes even very difficult districts for Democrats worth keeping tabs on," wriets House Editor David Wasserman.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently began airing radio ads attacking McHenry and Hayes.

That's not George W. Bush on your radio.

The Democrats this week are running a radio ad campaign — featuring a Bush impersonator — that criticizes GOP Congressmen Robin Hayes of Concord and Patrick McHenry of Cherryville for being too cozy with oil companies, Rob Christensen reports.

The ad goes like this:

"Hayes-y ... 'W' here. Wanted to thank you for continuing to supprot the Big Oil Energy Agenda. 'Preciate you voting to keep giving billions in tax breaks to the big oil companies. Sure gasoline is over four bucks a gallone and the oil companies are making record profits, but what’s good for Big Oil is good for America, right?"

The ad is being paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and is scheduled to run a week. The ad is being used 13 Congressional districts including those of Hayes and McHenry.

The state’s Democratic congressional delegation hosted a fundraiser this morning in Washington for Daniel Johnson, a candidate for the 10th Congressional District seat.

Johnson is challenging Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of Cherryville in November.

The fundraiser was held at Tortilla Coast, a popular restaurant about a block from the House row of office buildings on Capitol Hill. Most tickets ranged from $250 to $1,000 a plate, though House staffers could get in for $100, reports Barb Barrett.

The event was hosted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and its chairman, Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, along with U.S. Reps. David Price, Bob Etheridge, Mel Watt, Heath Shuler, Brad Miller and G.K. Butterfield.

Of Tar Heel representatives, only U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre’s name was omitted. Spokesman Dean Mitchell said McIntyre was a host, but that the invitation was sent before the office’s official approval. McIntyre was not able to attend.

State Republicans jumped on the fundraiser as proof that Johnson is a Washington-backed politician. GOP Chairwoman Linda Daves today wrote Johnson a letter:

Only a few days after issuing a patently false press release claiming that your pockets have not been stuffed with cash from Washington liberals and attacking Congressman McHenry for pointing that out, I am shocked and appalled to discover that you are in Washington today for a fundraiser hosted by several liberal, Washington politicians.

You owe Congressman McHenry and the people of Western North Carolina an apology.

Kay Hagan has hired a campaign manager.

And here's the first and last quote you might hear from her:

"I do not go on the record," said Crystal King, unprompted, to two reporters Monday after one of them asked her name, David Ingram reports.

King had just started to usher Hagan out of the State Board of Elections after filing as a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Not exactly a warm greeting.

A quick check on Google shows that the Ohio native has worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.

Hagan, 54, is serving her fifth term in the N.C. Senate from Greensboro. She is one of several Democrats hoping to face Republican U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole in November.

She has already lined up her top management team, which includes some Senate veteran staffers, but she has not yet publicly announced them.

An assistant D.A. may run against U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry.

Daniel Johnson, 31, currently lives and works in Raleigh, but he told the Hickory Daily Record that he may move back to his hometown to launch a campaign.

"We’re trying to see if it's the right thing for me and my wife right now," he told the paper. "It is something that I'm considering and looking into."

Johnson received the Navy Marine Corps Medal for saving a crewmate during a 1999 accident on the U.S.S. Blue Ridge that severed both of his legs below the knees.

A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, he has worked for Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby's office for three years.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released a statement praising Johnson Wednesday.