Lou Huddleston, a Fayetteville businessman and Republican who is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell next year has developed a following among the right people — the ones with money.

Roll Call reports (subscription req.) that Huddleston is expected to post a six-figure fundraising report soon. The report highlights Republican efforts to recruit miniority candidates.

At the moment, the black Republican with perhaps the best shot in 2010 is veteran and former North Carolina state House nominee Lou Huddleston (R), who is running in the 8th district against freshman Rep. Larry Kissell (D)…party operatives on Capitol Hill have warmed to the retired Army colonel and defense industry consultant…After announcing in August, Huddleston is expected to file a six-figure fundraising report later this month. 

Kissell, a Biscoe Democrat, has recently been the beneficiary of a fundraising push by Vice President Joe Biden. 

Politico reports that Biden has become a key fundraising presence in House campaigns.

Two weeks ago, the vice president traveled across the Potomac to keynote a three-way fundraiser to boost Virginia Democratic freshmen Reps. Gerry Connolly, Glenn Nye and Thomas Perriello. First-term Rep. Larry Kissell (D-N.C.), a weak fundraiser, just got the Biden treatment, and the vice president is scheduled to appear at a $1,000-per-person luncheon for freshman Rep. Jim Hines (D-Conn.) in New York City on Monday.

Republicans see Kissell, a Biscoe Democrat as vulnerable next year, possibly in part because news reporters are on safe ground describing the Congressman as a "weak fundraiser." Just today, Republicans launched an attack on Kissell over comments he made about the war in Afghanistan.

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* Labor unions trying to shape the nation's health-reform debate have poured millions of dollars into the campaign coffers of North Carolina lawmakers in recent years.

Since 2003, unions have spent $3.4 million to elect allies from the Tar Heel state to the U.S. House and Senate. Nearly all of it has gone to Democrats.

North Carolina, a right-to-work state, has the second-lowest union representation and the lowest union membership rate in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

But key voting blocs, including state workers and many service workers, are represented by labor groups such as the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU. Labor groups have organized rallies, town hall meetings, phone banks and advertising in support of health-care reform.

Of the state's 13 House members, Democrat Brad Miller of Raleigh received the most union money — $588,000. (N&O)

* North Carolina community colleges leaders have drawn up a new policy that would allow illegal immigrants into the two-year colleges.

The state Board of Community Colleges' policy committee on Thursday drafted rules that would admit undocumented immigrants if they graduated from a U.S. high school. The students would have to pay out-of-state tuition rates and could not take a seat from students who are legal residents. (AP)

National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Brian Walsh said the organization will not say who attended Monday night’s health care roundtable and dinner at Washington, D.C., steakhouse, where U.S. Sen. Richard Burr was a featured speaker.

"We don’t release names of those who attend private events," Walsh said, adding that the NRSC will disclose its contributors as required under federal campaign law.

"This policy is no different than countless fund-raisers by President Obama," Walsh said.

Burr, who sits on the Senate health committee, was one of three GOP senators who spoke on behalf of the NRSC fund-raiser Monday night, Barb Barrett reports.

For checks of $2,000 per political action committee, up to 35 attendees were offered seats at a "Roundtable on Healthcare Issues" at Charlie Palmer’s steakhouse. A more exclusive group of 20 could stay for dinner at a cost of $5,000, according to the invitation posted by the Sunlight Foundation.

Also speaking were Republican U.S. Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, and Mike Enzi of Wyoming, who sits on both committees.

Burr’s campaign consultant earlier said the Burr campaign had no details about who attended the NRSC event.

A blogger at Huffington Post tried to crash the event but was prevented access. He did, however, chat with a representative of the American Staffing Association and a hospital CEO from Texas. 

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx is 66 today.

To celebrate, her husband wants you to write her a check. In an e-mail message to supporters, Tom Foxx suggested that a campaign contribution would make a perfect gift for his wife, a Banner Elk Republican.

A few years ago I had the idea of surprising Virginia for her birthday by raising money for her re-election. It was such a success that I have continued to do it.

Perhaps, $1 for every year of her life, he suggested. Of course, when you follow the link to the donation page, suggested amounts also include $660, $1066 and $2066. Tom Foxx assures supporters not to worry about all the focus on 66.

"As an elected official her information is publicly available so I won't be in trouble for revealing her age," he wrote.

The House voted Wednesday require political appointees to report their fundraising activities.

The bill, which had sponsors from both parties, expands who must report fundraising and also closes a loophole that applied to the reporting required of the Board of Transportation. Members of that board were previously required to list their activities, but some appointees under former Gov. Mike Easley used a legal opinion to hide their fundraising activities.

Board members, including former member Louis Sewell of Jacksonville, had said he did no fundraising even though he was a big fundraiser in Easley's 2000 campaign.

Easley had obtained an attorney general's opinion that said fundraisers did not have to disclose their efforts unless they personally accepted contributions from individuals. That meant that typical fundraising activities such as holding receptions and soliciting people for contributions were not considered fundraising.

More after the jump.

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An internal investigation revealed Eddie Carroll Thomas had undue influence over one of the largest sections of the Division of Motor Vehicles.

The Greene County patronage boss could get people jobs, transfer troublesome colleagues and reassign workers and held considerable influence.

Carroll abruptly retired five years ago after state records showed dozens of calls from his work hpone made to top officials in state government. State and federal investigations looked into two state contracts connected to his business partners.

"I personally was shocked and offended by what was contained in the investigative report," DMV Commissioner Bill Gore said. "And I was offended not only as an administrator but as a citizen."

Thomas' influence comes from his role as a fundraiser for Govs. Jim Hunt and Mike Easley. (N&O)

Democrat Kay Hagan raised $2.6 million in her Senate campaign since the beginning of summer, her campaign said.

The $2.6 million she has raised since July 1 is in addition to the $3 million she had raised previously.

No word yet on how much Republican Elizabeth Dole has raised this summer. She had raised $11.2 million prior to July.

But Dole's big edge in fund raising has been countered by a multi-million TV advertising campaign by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee which has been airing commercials attacking Dole.

Colleen Flanagan, Hagan’s campaign spokeswoman, said that 85 percent of Hagan’s contributions during the past three months has come from individuals. She has also received 10,000 contributions online.

"It's an incredibly strong fundraising haul and indicative of the confidence folks across the state have in Kay and her ability to fix what’s broken in Washington," Flanangan said.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole is reaching into her own pocket.

The Salisbury Republican says she is spending some of her own money on her re-election bid, trying to offset millions of dollars in negative spending that have made the Senate race one of the closest in the country.

Dole declined to say how much she's pledged and the commitment came recently enough that it won't show up in this week's campaign finance reports.

"You get such a lot coming at you and spending a great deal of time raising money -- there just comes a point when you feel like you need to put some skin in the game," Dole said.

A spokesman said that Dole had raised more than $3 million in the quarter ending Sept. 30. He declined to provide a number for cash-on-hand. Democrat Kay Hagan also declined to reveal numbers. (AP)

Republican Vice President candidate Sarah Palin will make her first appearance in North Carolina, with a stop at a fundraiser in Greensboro later this month.

Palin will be the attraction at a fundraiser at the home of Greensboro business man Louis DeJoy and former Ambassador Aldona Wos on October 16th to benefit the national ticket, according to DeJoy, who is state McCain/Palin chair, Rob Christensen reports.

Palin is substituting for President Bush who cancelled his scheduled event Tuesday at the DeJoy home because of the financial crisis in Washington.

It is not clear whether Palin will make any public appearances while in North Carolina.

This would be the first campaign appearance by either McCain or Palin in North Carolina since the primaries.