A few Triangle residents may learn as soon as this afternoon that they've got tickets to President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

U.S. Rep. Brad Miller's office in Washington is holding a lottery now to pass out the 198 tickets it was alotted. Workers then will begin notifying consituents through e-mail, Barb Barrett reports.

"We just feel so badly, because we got 198 tickets for the office and thousands of requests," said LuAnn Canipe, Miller's spokeswoman.

Miller is planning an event in Raleigh for Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, to help constituents celebrate the day, Canipe said. Details still are being worked out.

What do these internal fights for committee chairmanships do for the party?

Some think they cause unnecessary rancor, especially when the Democrats want to pull together behind their new president-elect, Barb Barrett reports.

Plus, no one wants to upset either U.S. Rep. John Dingell, the 82-year-old dean of the House, or U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, a senior member himself with close ties to the Speaker.

That, said U.S. Rep. Brad Miller of Raleigh, is why he won't reveal his vote.

"Congressman Miller voted secret ballot because he has a deep respect for both Waxman and Dingell," said Miller's spokeswoman, LuAnn Canipe.

"He has a good relationship with these two distinguished members of Congress," she said. "Revealing his vote does nothing to help the cohesiveness of the Caucus."

Previously: Watt, McIntyre, Shuler backed Dingell; Price, Kissell mum.