U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has changed up her staff.

The Greensboro Democrat named as her new state director Melissa Midgett, a Dare County native who has worked for her for several years, most recently as deputy state director.

Hagan also named as her new deputy state director Tony Caravano, deputy director of UNC Tomorrow at the University of North Carolina System.

Caravano formerly worked for Senate leader Marc Basnight, a key ally of Hagan's when she was in the state Senate.

The staff changes come a little more than a month after Hagan hired and immediately fired longtime fiscal analyst Fred Aikens and let go of state political director Muthoni Wambu.

The state chapter of the NAACP is looking into those firings.

Update: Hagan also announced that Jennifer Johnson will work as constituent services director and Caitlin Legacki will be state press secretary.

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UNEASY STREET: Anyone whose salary is paid by the state government may need to start considering a Plan B. Gov. Beverly Perdue asked for another round of proposed budget cuts this week, and the suggestions that came back included state aid to such sacred cows as "The Lost Colony" drama and the High Point Furniture Market.

JOB RE-SHUFFLING: Fred Aikens' career in constituent services was short — real short. The former Democratic candidate for state auditor and longtime fiscal analyst was hired by U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan last week, and then let go the next day. Hagan's state political director, Muthoni Wambu, was also let go. Hagan is mum on the reasons.

MARRIAGE BAN: Proponents of a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage are trying again. They held a press conference this week to promote a bill that would call for a referendum, but expectations are low. Senate leader Marc Basnight assigned the bill to a committee that hasn't met since 2001.

IN OTHER NEWS: Damon Circosta, named head of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, skateboards to the legislature. ... Former Gov. Mike Easley is starting a part-time job promoting early college programs for Bill Gates' private foundation. His son is following in his footsteps at an internship with the Wake County prosecutor. ... State legislators are considering a number of perks for members of the military and veterans, including free visits to state museums, parks and the U.S.S. North Carolina. That should help with recruitment efforts. 

Fred Aikens worked for Sen. Kay Hagan for a day and a half.

A longtime fiscal analyst at the state legislature, Aikens ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for state auditor last year.

He told Dome that he was hired last Wednesday to do constituent service work for Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat.

About midday on Thursday, he said he was let go.

"That's about all I know," he said. "I'm waiting for a phone call. Hopefully I can get a chance to talk to the senator."

In the meantime, Aikens has restarted his private consulting work, refiling his lobbyist registration today.

A spokeswoman for Hagan said she was unfamiliar with the details.

Update: State political director Muthoni Wambu, who worked as deputy campaign manager for Hagan and previously served on Joe Biden's presidential campaign, is also no longer working in the office.

Spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan would not discuss either case. 

"It's our office policy not to discuss personnel issues," she said. 

Nine statewide candidates will accept public financing in their campaigns.

At a press conference held by N.C. Voters for Clean Elections outside the state Capitol today, nearly all of the three Republicans and six Democrats said that the financing program will make them less reliant on special interests.

The group includes two incumbents, Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson and Republican state Auditor Les Merritt. It also includes insurance commissioner candidate Wayne Goodwin, who said his 2004 campaign for labor commissioner was eye-opening.

"While candidates used to visit all the county seats across this great state and visit every courthouse sheriff and stop in to enjoy an RC Cola at a country store or go to umpteen barbecue rallies around the state, in 2004 I learned how campaigning had succumbed to the money chase," he said.

He said he spent up to eight hours a day, six days a week, calling donors.

The other participants include superintendent candidates Eddie Davis and Eric H. Smith, auditor candidates Beth Wood and Fred Aikens and insurance commissioner candidates John Odom and David Smith.

David Smith did not attend the rally due to a family emergency.

Beth Wood has her zinger down for the fall election.

The candidate for the Democratic nomination for state auditor has some primary competition in Fred Aikens, but at the Young Democrats convention she tried out a line to use against incumbent Republican Les Merritt.

"The citizens of North Carolina don't need to settle for Les," she said.

Fred Aikens says he would increase fiscal accountability as state auditor.

A fiscal analyst for the legislature from 1978 to 1993, he later served as the deputy secretary for the state departments of Transportation and Correction. He said he wanted to clean up corruption in Raleigh.

"You've seen agencies that haven't spent taxpayer's money the way they should and I want to help these agencies be more accountable," Aikens told Dome.

He plans to do this by increasing resources and cooperation between agencies, identifying weaknesses before they becomes crises.

Aikens said he joined the Legislative Black Caucus Foundation in 2007, amid criticism that it gave college scholarships to relatives of legislators.

"I wanted to be a part of helping them get on the right track and I contributed pretty well to that effort," he said.

Fred Aikens will run for the Democratic nomination for state auditor.

Aikens, 57, is a retired state deputy of corrections and transportation and a retired colonel for the U.S. Army and N.C. National Guard. He served in Kuwait in 2003.

He's also been on numerous government councils and local nonprofits, including a stint chairing the State Government Information Technology Council.

If he wins the primary, Aikens plans to participate in a pilot program for public financing of the race. He said he hopes to increase accountability and reduce the focus of state government on campaign donors.

"I think we have seen enough scandal in Raleigh recently," he said in a statement. "It's time to clean up the mess."

Aikens will face Beth Wood in the primary. Incumbent Republican Les Merritt is seeking re-election.