The McCain-Palin campaign released a list of its North Carolina team Monday, including chairmen for all 100 counties.

"This is probably the most impressive leadership list of any campaign in recent North Carolina history," U.S. Sen. Richard Burr of Winston-Salem, the state McCain chairman, said in a teleconference call from Washington, Rob Christensen reports.

The honorary co-chairs of the GOP presidential candidate include Sen. Elizabeth Dole, former Sen. Lauch Faircloth, former Governors Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, the GOP nominee for governor.

McCain has trailed Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, in organizing the state. But a McCain spokesman said the campaign now had nine offices set up and 17 staffers. The Obama campaign has 16 offices and between 150 and 200 staffers.

Burr, a long-time supporter of McCain, said the ticket was a perfect fit for North Carolina. He said the addition of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had generated a lot of interest among grassroots conservatives.

"This is a John McCain state," Burr said. "It's not an up in the air for the next election."

The Wake County McCain chair is Jean Smoot, the Durham chair is Kate Kohler, the Orange County chairs are Augustus Cho and Jesse Torres, and the Johnston chair is Linwood Parker.

A group of veterans declared their support for John McCain today.

At a half-hour press conference in front of the state legislature, nearly 40 volunteers and members of Veterans for McCain withstood 97 degree heat as they argued the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has the right plan for Iraq.

A half-dozen veterans of the Korean, Vietnam and Iraq wars said that McCain's support for a troop surge in Iraq was politically unpopular but successful and argued that Democratic nominee Barack Obama would put politics above the success of the war.

"Senator McCain stood by the soldiers, and that's why I'm standing by him today," said John Turner, 33, a former Army artillery officer from Raleigh.

The rally was one of a series around the country arranged by the McCain campaign to take part of the media spotlight off Obama, who is touring the Middle East and Europe. Veterans for McCain organizer Ric Killian is hosting an event in Charlotte.

More after the jump.

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