U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has joined a group of moderate Democrats.

The Greensboro Democrat announced Wednesday that she will joing the Moderate Dems Working Group, a group of 15 moderate Democrats that will meet regularly to talk about major issues.

"Working with the Moderate Dems, I look forward to finding common-sense solutions to the greatest challenges we face and breaking the political gridlock that, for too long, has characterized politics-as-usual in Washington," she said in a statement.

The group met for the second time Tuesday to discuss the upcoming budget negotiations. It's leader is Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, who was on the shortlist for President Obama's vice presidential slot.

Other members of the group include Sens. Claire McCaskill, Joe Lieberman, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Warner and Mary Landrieu, among others.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has hired another staffer.

The Greensboro Democrat named Caitlin Legacki her state press secretary last month. Legacki joined her on a trip to Camp Lejeune on Friday.

Legacki formerly served as press secretary for the Senate campaign of Jeanne Shaheen and on the press staff for John Edwards 2007 presidential campaign during the Iowa caucuses.

She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2007.

Gov. Beverly Perdue said she belongs to a too-exclusive club.

Speaking at a pro-choice women's luncheon in Washington Sunday, North Carolina's first female governor half-joked that she had joined the "Girls' Governors Club" alongside "lifetime members" such as Arizona's Janet Napolitano and New Hampshire's Jeanne Shaheen.

"They're the lifetime members and I'm the newbie," she said. "There's only one little problem for those of us in America: This club is much too exclusive. In the history of this great country, there now have been only 30 elected (female) governors."

Perdue thanked the members and leaders of EMILY's List, which sponsored the luncheon, for their support of her campaign, noting that she had raised a record $18 million — more than three times her Republican opponent, Pat McCrory.

"You all, that's what it takes to win if you're a woman in America," she said. "You have to work harder and you have to be smarter."

She also spoke strongly in favor of abortion rights, an issue that flared up briefly during the Democratic primary, but not come up much during the general election.

"We are one of a few Southern states — just a very few — where choice has been saved," she said. "I've spent a lot of my years with a lot of other people making that possible for all those little girls who will follow after me, and let me tell you, that will not change with me as governor."

Sen. Kay Hagan and Gov. Beverly Perdue will join Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton and a handful of other high-powered women at a Democratic pro-choice luncheon Sunday in Washington.

The EMILY's List luncheon is among dozens of events going on this holiday weekend to honor the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and a slate of women who favor abortion rights. Tickets for the luncheon, at the Hilton Washington, sold at a range of $150 to $5,000.

The luncheon also features Obama Cabinet nominees Janet Napolitano and Hilda Solis; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who was just elected in New Hampshire.

The political organization works to elect pro-choice Democratic women to office.

EMILY's List was Hagan's No. 2 contributor in her recent campaign, donating nearly $270,000 to her effort to defeat former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The group also supported Perdue, running an ad in last May’s primary campaign touting her record on child predators.

Sen.-elect Kay Hagan has some reading to do.

While in Washington for three days of training this week, the Greensboro Democrat was given a list by the chief clerk of the Senate of good reading for new senators.

Though a staffer volunteered to get all the books on the two-page list, Hagan demurred, saying she wouldn't have time to read them all yet. But she said she intends to work her way through a number of books on the list eventually.

One book that she already has was given to her by a fellow senator.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, gave Hagan a copy of "Nine and Counting," a 2000 book about the then-nine women serving in the U.S. Senate.

"That would be airplane reading," joked Hagan. 

Of course, the book might be due for a new edition. With Hagan taking Sen. Elizabeth Dole's place and Sen.-elect Jeanne Shaheen taking office, the number of female senators will soon be up to 17. 

Senate-elect Kay Hagan said North Carolinians "rejected" an attack ad.

In a brief segment on the "Today Show" this morning, the Greensboro Democrat said that a last-minute ad from Sen. Elizabeth Dole that linked her to the Godless Americans PAC.

"I think people in North Carolina rejected that sort of negative partisan politics and that's why we had a wonderul victory," she told host Meredith Vieira. "They really wanted to elect somebody who's going to go to Washington and effect real change."

She said the major issues in the state are the economy and lost jobs. 

She also recycled a joke from the campaign trail about being able to mediate partisan differences in Washington because two of her children went to Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill.

"People in North Carolina want us to work together," she said. "I think the fact that we've got a new president in Barack Obama, I am so looking forward to working with him."

Hagan was joined by New Hampshire Senate-elect Jeanne Shaheen.