Tom Fetzer filed a libel lawsuit late Monday afternoon against a Wilmington radio host who forwarded an email insinuating that Fetzer was gay.

The suit seeks damages of $10,000 or more from Curtis Wright, the host of "The Morning Beat with Curtis Wright," as well as Sea-Comm, Inc., the corporate owner of WLTT, Curtis' employer, Sarah Ovaska reports.

Wright had forwarded an email that included allegations that Fetzer is gay, though Wright is not thought to be the author of the anonymous email, according to the lawsuit.

In the suit, Fetzer accuses Wright of concocting a smear campaign to thwart his campaign to lead the state Republican Party. Curtis, Fetzer claims in the suit, has endorsed Marcus Kindley from Guilford County for the position.

The lawsuit never mentions the word gay nor does it specify the potentially libelous statements. 

Fetzer and his attorneys wrote that Curtis spread rumors that "tend to charge Mr. Fetzer with a crime of offense involving moral turpitude, to charge Mr. Fetzer with dishonesty, to disgrace and degrade Mr. Fetzer, to hold Mr. Fetzer up to public ridicule and contempt, and to cause Mr. Fetzer to be avoided and shunned."

The N.C. Republican Party will decide on a new leader this month.

After several defeats in 2008, the race for party chair has been particularly heated, with all four candidates vowing to mobilize voters and stay true to conservative values, the Associated Press reports.

Political observers say the frontrunners are Chad Adams, former Lee County commissioner and vice president of the John Locke Foundation, and Tom Fetzer, former Raleigh mayor and longtime political consultant.

Adams has the support of former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr and much of the political machine run by Art Pope. Fetzer has the backing of a bevy of current and former state officials, most recently U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick.

Retired Navy officer Bill Randall and businessman Marcus Kindley are also running. 

In a political irony, the June 13 event will be held at the Raleigh convention center, a project famously opposed by Fetzer when he served as mayor. 

* 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.

Tom Fetzer has racked up the endorsements.

The former Raleigh mayor has steadily unrolled a series of endorsements from conservative politicians and groups in his campaign for chairman of the N.C. Republican Party.

Always known as a solid campaigner, he's also dribbled them out in e-mails to supporters and on his Web site, a strategy to boost their visibility.

Here's a running list of his endorsements:

* Fred Smith, 2008 gubernatorial candidate and former state senator.

* Patrick Ballantine, 2004 gubernatorial nominee and former Republican Senate leader.

* Richard Vinroot, 2000 gubernatorial nominee and former Charlotte mayor.

* The state chapter of the Eagle Forum, a conservative activist group founded by Phyllis Schlafly.

Former Lee County Commissioner Chad Adams, Guilford County business owner Marcus Kindley and retired Navy veteran Bill Randle are also running.

Republicans will have a chance tonight to hear about how the GOP should mount its comeback from the four candidates running for state GOP chairman.

Chad Adams, Tom Fetzer, Marcus Kindley and Bill Randall will speak tonight to the Western Wake Republican Club annual spring fling dinner in Cary, Rob Christensen reports.

The dinner starts at 6 p.m. at the Business Networking Center at 649 Walnut Street in Cary.

The state party chairmanship race will be decided June 12-14 at the state Republican convention at the Raleigh Convention Center. The four are seeking to replace Linda Daves, who is not seeking another term.

David Robinson is no longer running for head of the N.C. GOP.

The chairman of the Wake County Republican party announced by e-mail today that he was withdrawing his candidacy for chairman of the state Republican Party.

He is not endorsing any of the other candidates: Former Lee County Commissioner Chad Adams, Guilford County business owner Marcus Kindley, former Raleigh Mayor Tom Fetzer and retired Navy veteran Bill Randle.

I have traveled many miles with the other four declared candidates for NCGOP Chair, and I have enjoyed their company and commitment to the Republican Party. Each brings distinct talents and energies to their campaign — talents and energies that I am confident will translate into positive momentum in the 2009 and all-important 2010 campaign seasons.

He said the decision "is simply too important" to be swayed by his opinion.

Chad Adams is running for chairman of the N.C. Republican Party.

"I absolutely am," he said. "Mentally, I decided a few weeks ago, but we had to work through some of the logistics."

He said he would work to restore the trust of grassroots activists who have moved away from the party, in part by working as a full-time chairman.

A former Lee County commissioner, Adams works as development vice president for the John Locke Foundation. He said he will take leave over the next week and would step down entirely if he wins at the Republican convention in June.

"We've got to make it exciting to be a Republican again," he said. "The issues still win, even when our candidates are languishing."

He's also launched a Web site for the campaign. 

Guilford County business owner Marcus Kindley, former state Sen. Woody White and Wake County GOP chairman David Robinson are also running for the post.

Marcus Kindley says he's a CEO, not a stockbroker.

The candidate for chair of the N.C. Republican Party took exception to a recent Dome item which identified him by the latter job title.

"That's kind of like calling your editor a mailboy down in the mailroom," he said.

Kindley noted that he is the longtime chief executive officer of Intercarolina Financial Services, a Greensboro firm with 70 employees.

He faces Wake County GOP chair David Robinson and former state Sen. Woody White. Current chair Linda Daves is not running again.

Former state Sen. Woody White of Wilmington over the weekend announced his candidacy for the state GOP chairmanship.

White, 39, is a lawyer and former law partner of Patrick Ballantine, the GOP nominee for governor in 2004, Rob Christensen reports.

He has been weighing a bid for several weeks, but announced his candidacy in a letter sent to members of the state GOP Executive Committee.

State Chair Linda Daves has said she will not seek another term at the state Republican convention in June.

Also running is David Robinson, chairman of the Wake County Republican Party, and Guilford county stockbroker Marcus Kindley.

Previously: White considering a run

David Robinson, chairman of the Wake County Republican Party, announced today that he wants to be the chairman of the state GOP.

Robinson issued a press release announcing his candidacy to be state GOP chairman. He said the state party should "challenge government corruption and liberal agendas" every day of the year.

State Chairwoman Linda Daves has said she will not seek re-election to another term. Former Lee County Commissioner Chad Adams and former state Sen. Woody White are considering runs. Guilford County stockbroker Marcus Kindley has announced that he is seeking the post.