N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Jim Wynn has been the subject of a federal background check, a sign that he may be nominated for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond.

The FBI has been conducting a background investigation of Wynn, questioning people around the court houses in Raleigh, Rob Christensen reports.

"I’ve been interviewed by the FBI who didn’t tell me for what," said federal Magistrate Judge William W. Webb. "I know the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington has been calling people about him."

Wynn was nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1999 and 2001 for the 4th Circuit but he was never confirmed by the Senate, largely because of opposition by then Sen. Jesse Helms.

President Barack Obama has not indicated who he would nominate. But Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan is pushing hard for another North Carolinian on the 4th Circuit and there has considerable speculation that Wynn is one of the candidates she is pushing.

He is also being championed by Congressman G.K. Butterfield, his former law partner, who is a close Obama ally.

The speculation is based not only on gossip but the fact that Wynn has twice before nominated for the 4th Circuit only to have his nomination stalled by then Republican Sen. Jesse Helms, Rob Christensen reports.

Some of the key players, have been avoiding reporter’s calls.

Former NC. Chief Justice Burley Mitchell headed a four-member committee that screened potential candidates for Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan, would not say who the panel recommended.

But he heaped praise on Wynn, noting that he had known Wynn as a fellow judge and attorney for several decades.

"Nobody in the state is better qualified for the 4th Circuit in North Carolina in my view than Jim Wynn," Mitchell said.

More after the jump.

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The legislature passed a resolution today honoring former U.S. Senator Jesse Helms.

Helms, a five-term U.S. senator from North Carolina and icon of the conservative movement that helped propel Ronald Regan to the presidency in 1980, died last July.

A half-dozen members of the House black caucus sat outside the chamber while the resolution was debated, Kevin Kiley reports. Many didn't vote. One senator, Julia Boseman of New Hanover County, voted against the resolution.

Democrats and Republicans in both chambers spoke about Helms' legacy, notably his devotion to constiuients.

"His personal commitment to serving constituient needs is legendary," said Sen. Eddie Goodall, a Weddington Republican.

They also spoke on the senator's steadfast adherence to conservative principles.

"He always lived his beliefs," said Mike Morris, the Senate Chaplain.

Raleigh political consultant Mark Stephens is stepping down from his role at the Republican National Committee's chief fundraiser.

Stephens was on RNC chairman Michael Steele's transition team and then headed fund raising from February through May. Steele announced this morning that Rob Bickhart would being as the party's finance chair, Rob Christensen reports.

"I want to thank Mark for coming to Washington and working hard to help put the RNC on a strong financial foundation — raising $23 million during the transition," Steele said in a statement. "He also led our search team to find the RNC a first-class finance director."

Stephens, who learned his politics as part of the late Sen. Jesse Helms' political organization, has been involved in GOP politics for decades.

He played major roles in former Sen. Elizabeth Dole's campaigns and Dole brought him in to serve as executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2006 election cycle.

Another Galifianakis is making waves.

Longtime political observers may remember former U.S. Rep. Nick Galifianakis, best known for his unsuccessful U.S. Senate run in 1972, which paved the way for Sen. Jesse Helms' three-decade career.

His nephew Zach has a new comedy coming out called "The Hangover" and was the subject of a lengthy profile in the New York Times magazine last weekend.

A standup comic, the younger Galifianakis talked about his uncle's political career while on stage at the Purple Onion, in a clip available on YouTube.

"My uncle was winning and then Jesse Helms came out with this slogan ... that said 'Vote for Jesse. He's one of us.' — meaning he doesn't have a freaky long last name and it turned the election," he said. "I hate the right. I hate them with a passion."

Incidentally, Zach Galifianakis stars with a Helms in the new movie — Ed Helms of the TV show "The Office."

We presume he's no relation.

* Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum notes that he and Jesse Helms voted for Sonia Sotomayor before, but says they wouldn't again.

* Scheduler for U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx gets in trouble for a tweet about drinking "office beers" on "taxpayer time."

* U.S. Senate could take up bill regulating tobacco as soon as today, Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan have vowed to fight it.

* Charlotte officials wonder if they should put in a bid for the 2012 Democratic or Republican national conventions, given a $60 million price tag.

President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, has already received at least one "yes" vote from a North Carolina Republican — and that was from none other than former Sen. Jesse Helms.

Helms supported Sotomayor's nomination to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, a step below the highest court, back in 1998, according to Senate roll call records, Barb Barrett reports.

The state's other senator, Republican Lauch Faircloth, voted no.

The full vote was 67-29, with four senators not voting. Sotomayor had been nominated by then-President Bill Clinton.

* Worth noting: Former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor as U.S. Circuit judge in 1998; former Sen. Lauch Faircloth against.

* Brian Nick, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, was named a "rising star" by Politics magazine for consultants and advocates under 35.

* N.C. Republican Party chair candidates Chad Adams and Marcus Kindley answer questionnaires on policy from Carolina Politics Online.

* N.C. Democratic Party chair David Young says on Asheville talk radio that his "gut" tells him U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler is thinking of a Senate run.

While Democrats may be counting the days until U.S. Attorney George Holding leaves, the Republicans are urging President Barack Obama to keep him on the job.

Holding, a Republican appointee, has prosecuted a series of Democrats and his office is now investigating allegations involving former Sen. John Edwards and former Gov. Mike Easley, both Democrats, Rob Christensen reports.

"Now is not the right time for a change in leadership at the U.S Attorney's office," said state GOP chair Linda Daves. "George Holding has shown himself to be competent, fair and evenhanded in rooting out and prosecuting corruption in state government."

U.S. attorneys are political patronage appointments that usually change hands when the White House changes parties. Holding, a protege of the late Sen. Jesse Helms, got his job after Bill Clinton left office and George W. Bush came in. (Frank Whitney preceded Holding as U.S attorney under Bush. He's now a federal district judge in Charlotte.)

Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan has appointed a panel, headed by former Chief Justice Burley Mitchell, to recommend federal prosecutors for the three districts in North Carolina. Hagan will recommended her choices to Obama.

But the state Republican Party argues that Holding doesn’t just go after Democrats. They note that he also prosecuted such Republicans as former U.S. Attorney Sam Currin and former state Sen. John Carrington.

There's a new government relations and public affairs firm in town.

CompassNC is being launched by John Cooper, a former federal agriculture official, Raleigh attorney Kieran Shanahan, Tina Shanahan, who worked for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and J. Brad Edwards, a former assistant to U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms and a principal with Jenkins Hill Consulting.