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.

Rep. Thomas Wright was on paid leave.

The Wilmington Democrat was one of 15 state lawmakers who were paid for the two-day special session even though they didn't show up for at least one day, according to a story in the Wilmington Star-News.

As per his usual routine, Wright did not return calls to a reporter.

According to the Wilmington Star-News, checks were sent to Wright and Reps. Becky Carney, Jerry Dockham, Phil Haire, Hugh Holliman, George Holmes, Edgar Starnes, Russell Tucker and R. Tracy Walker and Sens. Katie Dorsett, Eddie Goodall, Malcolm Graham, Jim Jacumin and Clark Jenkins.

Reps. Jeff Barnhart and Ric Killian were absent and asked not to be paid. Rep. Karen Ray missed the second day and asked not to be paid for it.

Two lawmakers — Reps. Ty Harrell and Grier Martin — were present, but asked not to be paid anyway.

Correction: The absences are based on final roll-call votes on the second day of the session. Sens. Jacumin, Dorsett and Goodall were in session on Sept. 10, according to votes taken that day. No roll calls were taken in the House on Sept. 10.

A dozen legislators were absent from yesterday's special session.

On the House side, nine representatives had excused absences, according to a roll call of the vote on the session's rules. They include House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, who is recuperating from surgery, and Rep. Thomas Wright, who is recuperating from self-inflicted political damage.

Others are Reps. Jeff Barnhart, Becky Carney, Jerry Dockham, Phil Haire, Ric Killian, Edgar Starnes and Russell Tucker. All had voted for the second reading and conference report on the original bill, except Tucker, who had an excused absence on the latter.

On the Senate side, three members had excused absences, according to a roll call of a vote on a measure commemorating Appalachian State's win over Michigan.

They are Sens. Malcolm Graham, Clark Jenkins and Don East. Graham and Jenkins voted for the second reading; East against.

Correction: An earlier version of this post named the wrong senators.

Political action committees associated with four major tobacco companies gave about $28,000 since 2000 to 11 of the 17 Democrats who voted against the smoking ban.

As Dome noted earlier, they were the crossovers who went against party line, helping defeat the bill.

Lorillard, R.J. Reynolds, Standard Commercial Tobacco, Philip Morris and its parent company Altria gave mostly small donations of $250, $500 or $1,000 through their PACs, typical of their contributions to other legislators.

The biggest recipient was Rep. Nelson Cole of Reidsville, who got $8,750 between 2000 and 2006. Rep. James Crawford of Oxford received $5,500 during that same time period.

Both represent tobacco-growing areas in North Carolina.

Reps. R. Van Braxton, Walter Church, Mary McAllister, Timothy Spear and Edith Warren were not listed on campaign finance reports filed by the tobacco companies' PACs.

Among the Republicans who voted for the bill, Rep. Julia Howard received $4,200 and Rep. Jeff Barnhart received $2,250.

Among the crossover votes on the failed smoking ban, Rep. Jeff Barnhart was notable.

The Concord Republican's district includes a cigarette manufacturing plant owned by Virginia-based Philip Morris USA.

He began his remarks by noting that a lot of people in his district disagreed with his decision to support the bill.

He then spoke about his father-in-law, a nonsmoker who died of lung cancer after working around smokers, and his fears for his daughter's health.

"This is not against smokers. I've got some real good friends that smoke a lot. This is not against them personally," he said. "But when you talk about freedoms, I think somebody else's freedom ends when it enters my lungs."