State Rep. Dan Blue also has the official endorsement.

After winning a straw poll by members of the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association Saturday, the former House speaker was endorsed Monday night to fill the empty seat of former Sen. Vernon Malone by the group's official political action committee.

"There were some strong candidates in the field, but we feel very confident in Mr. Blue, and feel he'll do a great job as a North Carolina senator," said Anthony L. Blalock, chairman of the M-PAC.

The association's political arm was looking for someone who would immediately do a good job representing the district and would also stand a strong chance of holding on to the seat in future elections, he said.

The Wake County Democratic Party will decide Wednesday on his replacement.

Meantime, rival candidate Marlowe Foster announced that if he is chosen he will donate his salary to Malone's scholarship fund at Shaw University.

"For me, this nomination is not about title or monetary gain," he said. "It is about offering me to the people of the 14th District so they have representation that can be effective from day one and who can run and win in 2010."

A straw poll recommended Rep. Dan Blue move to the Senate.

About 50 people at a forum sponsored by the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association Saturday cast an unofficial vote on who should fill former Sen. Vernon Malone's seat.

The candidates were Blue, Bernard Allen Jr., former educator Carol Dalenko Bennett, Pfizer lobbyist Marlowe Foster, Wake school board member Rosa Gill, media consultant J. Mills Holloway, former DMV director Alexander Killens and St. Augustine's College provost Kim Luckes.

RWCA president Dan Coleman said that Blue won the straw poll by a significant margin, followed by Holloway.

The group's political action committee will meet tonight to take a formal vote. The result will then be forwarded to the Wake County Democratic Party, which will make a final nomination for Gov. Beverly Perdue.

"The Wake County Democratic Party is not necessarily beholden to that endorsement," said Coleman.

Results of the straw poll after the jump.

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Nine people are running for former Sen. Vernon Malone's seat.

N&O education reporter Keung Hui forwarded this list of candidates who will speak at the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association meeting this weekend:

Rosa Gill, 64, chairwoman of Wake County School Board

Marlowe Foster, 38, lobbyist for Pfizer Corporation, ran unsuccessfully for Winston-Salem City Council in 2002.

Alexander Killens, 54, former director of N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles

Bernard Allen Jr., 44, son of former North Carolina representative

Dan Blue, 59, state representative, former speaker

Jay Holloway, Jr., 47, director of Learning Ventures, UNC Public Television

Kim Luckes, 52, executive vice president of St. Augustine's College

Carol Dalenko Bennett, 66, real estate broker, ran against Malone in 2008

Bruce Lightner, 61, president of Lightner Funeral Home

A former UNC-TV executive is interested in state Sen. Vernon Malone's seat.

Jay Holloway, who worked for the public television channel for nearly 14 years, announced recently that he is seeking the nomination of the Wake County Democratic Party for the seat left empty by Malone's recent death.

Holloway said he would announce a five-point plan to improve education and bring green jobs to the Triangle area.

"We must be innovative in offering real-life solutions to the everyday kitchen table discussions of the residents of District 14," he said in a statement.

Wake County school board member Rosa Gill, Pfizer lobbyist Marlowe W. Foster, and the son of former state Rep. Bernard Allen are also seeking the nomination.

The Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association will make a recommendation to the Wake County Democratic Party, which will name Malone's replacement.

Update: Former DMV director Alexander Killens has also announced he's running for the open seat.

Rosa Gill will also seek former state Sen. Vernon Malone's seat.

The Wake County board of education member said she will be among the candidates speaking at a forum Saturday sponsored by the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association, Keung Hui reports.

Other announced candidates include Marlowe W. Foster, a lobbyist with Pfizer; and Bernard Allen II, the son of a former state representative.

Other rumored candidates include Alexander Killens, former director of the state's Division of Motor Vehicles; and state Rep. Dan Blue, a former House speaker.

The association will make a recommendation to the Wake County Democratic Party, which will name Malone's replacement on May 6.