Jack Nichols has some news for would-be candidates hoping to replace Wake County Rep. Ty Harrell.

It's gonna take work and a lot of money to keep that seat. That's the gist of a message Nichols, the chairman of the Wake County Democratic party, sent to those who are seeking appointment to the seat Harrell quit amid a campaign finance investigation. 

"The campaign for this seat next year will be just as hotly contested and indeed, one of the most contested House races in the State of North Carolina. I mention this because I anticipate that you will need to raise at least $100,000 to $200,000 in order to be competitive in this Primary and General Election. In my experience, before the Party and its donors will invest in a candidate, the candidate must raise money on their own to establish their viability," Nichols wrote.

Nichols advice comes as state Republicans are ramping up efforts to win control of one or both chambers.

More after the jump.

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At least nine Democratic candidates are already running to replace Rep. Ty Harrell who resigned Sunday amid a campaign finance investigation.

Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Jack Nichols said nine candidates have declared so far for the District 41 seat:

-- Chris Heagarty, former director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education

-- Janet Schanzenbach, lobbyist for mental health programs and rehabilitation facilities

-- Gale Adcock, Cary Town Council member

-- John Shaw, a retired electrical engineer and Democratic Party activist

-- Matt Danielson, former county Democratic Party vice chair

-- Linda Gunter, former state senator and lobbyist for N.C. Association of Educators

-- Christopher Headen, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Durham

-- Steve Rao, director of business development at Datacraft Solutions

-- Terry L. "Doc" Thome

Democratic Party precinct chairs and party leaders within the district will meet by Oct. 20 and vote on Harrell’s replacement. When a lawmaker resigns, his or her party selects the replacement, and the governor must appoint that person.

State Democratic Chairman David Young today issued what he called “an urgent call” to Tar Heel Democrats to lobby for President Barack Obama plans to overhaul the nation’s health care system.

At a Raleigh news conference Wednesday afternoon, Young said there were 1.5 million North Carolinians with no health insurance and that 13 percent of the state’s children were not covered, reports Rob Christensen.

He warned that the opposition will use “scare tactics” to try to defeat needed health care changes. Despite charges of a government takeover of health care, Young said Obama has repeatedly said people can keep their own private insurance under his proposal, but would have the option of enrolling in a government-backed plan.

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The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to pay an Oxford woman $320,000 to settle a sexual harassment case involving a former supervisor at John Umstead Hospital with a prior history of mistreating female workers, according to the woman's lawyer.

Dorothy Hawley won the settlement last month, Raleigh lawyer Jack Nichols said in a news release. Her former supervisor, James Hobgood, had been convicted of assaulting she and another female employee in October 2000. Hawley had also accused him of on-going sexual harassment, Dan Kane reports.

Hawley filed suit against Hobgood and the state five years ago, and evidence showed that Hobgood had been fired from another state facility 22 years earlier. In that case, Hobgood had been disciplined for sexual harassment after complaints from female staff. His personnel file noted that he was "not eligible for re-employment with the state," Nichols said.

"Our firm felt that Dorothy Hawley was entitled to a remedy for her mistreatment by James Hobgood and John Umstead Hospital," Nichols said. "Public employers are now on notice that they are subject to such claims in the same way that private employers can be held liable. For John Umstead, the cost of not checking on an employee's prior behavior was a six-figure damages award."

Hawley had won $433,000 in damages from the N.C. Industrial Commission, but the state appealed the award. Mediation resulted in the $320,000 settlement.

Nichols said the lawsuit represents the first time someone had sued the state under a claim of negligent hiring, negligent retention and negligent supervision of an employee.

Will Gov. Beverly Perdue remain neutral?

The race for the next head of the state Democratic Party is heating up, but for now it appears that the highest-ranking state Democrat will remain on the sidelines.

Luke Hyde, a district chairman who is running for the job, said that a friend spoke to Perdue's staff before he decided to run.

"I asked an emissary to go see the governor for me and ask if she had a preference for state chair. I said I am a team player and if the governor has somebody in mind, I will not oppose her," he said. 

His friend came back and said Perdue would stay neutral.

"I have not heard anything to the contrary since," Hyde said.

So far, Hyde faces vice chair Dannie Montgomery, Statesville attorney David Parker and former Senate candidate Jim Neal in the race. Another candidate who was supposed to announce last weekend has not returned a call from a reporter all week.

Meantime, Parker said that he heard yet another candidate may announce.

Update: Former Wake County commissioner Jack Nichols said he is running for county party chairman, but he has been asked by some people if he would run for state chairman.

"Quite frankly, it really depends on what the governor does," he said.

Previously: Richard Sullivan confirms he's not running.

The Wake County chapter of the N.C. Association of Educators endorsed Jack Nichols.

The 5,000-member chapter of the state educators group said Nichols has made education a central issue in his race for the Democratic nomination for the seat held by state Sen. Janet Cowell, who is running for state treasurer.

"Jack Nichols depth of understanding of issues impacting education and it’s importance to our community’s future are unmatched in this race," said chapter president Jennifer Lanane.

Nichols has also been endorsed by the State Employees Association of North Carolina, the state chapter of the National Organization for Women, the N.C. Police Benevolent Association and the Wake County chapter of the N.C. Association of Educators.

Correction: A previous version of this post incorrectly state the N.C. Nurses Association made an endorsement. The association is not endorsing any canddiates in the primary.

The State Employees Assocation of N.C. announced its endorsements in legislative primary races.

The group, which represents 55,000 state workers, endorsed 13 candidates for the state House and 12 candidates for state Senate through its political action committee.

Seven of the candidates are Republicans: Rep. Jeff Barnhart; House candidates George Shaeffer, Sidney Sandy, Nalin Mehta and Shirley Randleman; and Sens. Fletcher Hartsell and Jim Jacumin.

In two cases, it endorsed candidates running against each other: state Sen. Vern Malone and rival Ann Akland; and Senate candidates Jack Nichols and Josh Stein.

In the House, the PAC also endorsed Reps. Angela Bryant, Edith Warren and Drew Saunders and candidates Robert Richardson, Greg Taylor, Charles Graham, Betty Mangum and Ric Marshall.

In the Senate, it endorsed Sens. Floyd McKissick, Ellie Kinnaird, Katie Dorsett and Steve Goss and candidates Shelly Willingham and Chuck Stone.

"We're happy to be able to support candidates who care about quality public services and the employees who work so hard to make this state one of the best places to live," said PAC chairwoman Paula Schubert in a statement.

Josh Stein has decided to spill the beans first.

The Democratic candidate for state Senate District 16 released his fundraising numbers for the final quarter of 2007 this morning.

Stein said that he raised more than $133,000 from more than 400 contributors.

Some of his donors include former House Majority Leader Phil Baddour, Democratic pollster Dean Debnam, former Senate candidate D.G. Martin and Capitol Broadcasting head Jim Goodmon.

"We are energized by this influx of support and by the great response Josh is getting as he meets with voters, sharing concerns and identifying progressive solutions," said campaign spokesman Jason Sulham in a statement. 

No word yet from Stein's primary opponent, Jack Nichols. 

Note to Stein: Here's a mnemonic: Capitol and Goodmon both are spelled with an "o."

John M. Alexander Jr. is considering a run for the state Senate.

A native of Raleigh, Alexander went to Broughton High and N.C. State. He now runs a family-owned business, Capital International Trucks, and is active in local nonprofits. He raised $2.5 million for the Hillsborough Street YMCA in Raleigh, which bears his family's name.

Alexander is considering a run for the Republican nomination for the District 16 seat being vacated by Sen. Janet Cowell.  

On the Democratic side, former Wake County commissioner Jack Nichols and assistant to the state attorney general Josh Stein are running.