Ron Ottavio says he has never worked for the Governor's Office, a profile of him on the Internet notwithstanding.

How the apparent mix-up happened is not clear.

Ottavio, a former Wachovia lobbyist, is the interim executive director of N.C. FREE. Earlier this week, a profile of him on the networking Web site LinkedIn said he had been working for the Office of the Governor for about a year. (See the document link below.)

Dome called Gov. Mike Easley's office to ask about it. Two spokeswomen said they hadn't heard of Ottavio and could find no record of him working there, either on staff or on contract.

Ottavio wrote in an e-mail to Dome Thursday that he had gotten a call from Easley's chief counsel Reuben Young.

"I am not sure how that got on LinkedIn," Ottavio wrote. "I have never worked for the Governor's Office — past or present. That has been corrected and did not realize I was even on LinkedIn."

Ottavio did not respond to further questions about the confusion.

John Davis is no longer listed as the executive director of N.C. FREE.

After leading the business-backed research group for 23 years, Davis is working on contract as a political consultant for the group, its Web site says. The change in leadership follows several months of turbulence at N.C. FREE, including the departure of some of its biggest dues-paying members.

N.C. FREE lists Ron Ottavio as its interim executive director. Ottavio worked for Wachovia for 33 years before retiring. He spent his last six years managing the company's lobbying efforts in 16 states, and he was a registered lobbyist in Raleigh.

Ottavio also serves on the board of N.C. FREE's sister group in Virginia. Neither Davis nor Ottavio returned messages Monday from Dome.

N.C. FREE has long been known for its analysis and handicapping of N.C. elections, particularly elections for the General Assembly. Some members of the business community use the information to help decide where to contribute money.

Some of North Carolina's largest corporations have pulled their support of N.C. FREE.

The decisions followed a dispute over the mission of the influential Raleigh-based group, which is best known for its analysis of state election trends. In recent years, it has also tried to raise money and recruit pro-business candidates.

John Davis, the president of N.C. FREE, said the effort to elect more business leaders represents a return to the group's mission in the 1980s, but the effort has alienated some Democrats, who have majorities in the state House and Senate, as well as lobbyists and large companies.

The companies are concerned that the campaign efforts could become partisan, and they don't want to alienate powerful incument Democrats.

Spokesmen for Bank of America, Duke Energy and Wachovia confirmed Thursday that their companies have either canceled or not renewed their memberships. At least a dozen companies have left N.C. FREE in recent months. (Char-O)

Stateline says Barack Obama may affect down-ballot races here.

In a story today, the legislative Web site writes that the presumptive Democratic nominee has an "outside possibility" of winning North Carolina in November, but he may have more of an effect on down-ballot races by boosting turnout.

With an open race for governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. senator, legislative and Congressional seats and eight other statewide posts, North Carolina has the most races of any Southern state on the ballot.

Even though only three out of four Democratic primary voters also voted in down-ballot races as well, the Democratic turnout was three times as high as in the Republican primary.

"Obama's impact down-ballot will be huge for Democrats, if he is able to sustain his momentum," John Davis, president of the North Carolina Forum for Research and Economic Education, told Stateline.

The site argues that the biggest effect will be in the gubernatorial race between Beverly Perdue and Pat McCrory and the Senate race between Kay Hagan and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

Still, it says that Obama could also hurt Democrats in Western Carolina and other predominantly white areas where he did poorly against Hillary Clinton.

Hat Tip: Chris Kromm

Pat McCrory is picking up the mantle of change.

In a speech at the state Republican convention in Greensboro today, the gubernatorial nominee received one of the loudest ovations as he called himself "a change agent" in his race against Democratic nominee Beverly Perdue, Jim Morrill reports.

"We have been governed for the past decade by the good ole boy politics of Gov. (Mike) Easley and Lt. Gov. Perdue," he said. "I want to change the culture."

John Davis, president of the pro-business group NCFREE, said McCrory and Obama could appeal to many of the same kind of voters: newcomers, urban, young and ready for change.

"It's not a party thing," he said. "It's an anti-establishment, a 'pox-on-both-your-houses,' general change-voter driving this election year."

Alan Pugh, the GOP chairman in Randolph County, agreed.

"So for those who understand the dynamics of the election, these are the ones that are positive," he said. "The ones that are negative are those sitting around listening to the 24-hour news channels."

A pro-business group has made its first round of House endorsements.

The political action committee of the N.C. Forum for Research and Education endorsed 25 Democrats and all but three Republicans in the state House of Representatives.

The endorsements were based on the senators' voting records on business issues, how business-friendly they are compared to their district and their effectiveness in office.

Among Republicans, the group endorsed House Minority Leader Paul Stam, Rep. Nelson Dollar and Rep. Marilyn Avila, among others.

It did not endorse Reps. Joe Boylan, Carolyn Justice and Ken Furr, who was appointed in August.

Among Democrats, the group endorsed House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, Rep. W.A. "Winkie" Wilkins, and Rep. Bruce Goforth.

It did not endorse House Speaker Joe Hackney.

A full list after the jump.

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A pro-business group has made its first round of Senate endorsements.

The political action committee of the N.C. Forum for Research and Education endorsed all but one Republican and 13 Democrats in the state Senate for re-election.

The endorsements were based on the senators' voting records on business issues, how business-friendly they are compared to their district and their effectiveness in office.

The Democrats include President pro tem Marc Basnight and Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand and Sen. Kay Hagan, a rumored candidate for U.S. Senate.

The Republicans included Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, Sen. Tom Apodaca and Sen. Harry Brown.

The one Republican not endorsed was Sen. Fred Smith, presumably because he is running for governor and not for re-election.

A full list after the jump.

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Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue took some heat for unclear descriptions of her graduate work.

But what exactly is state Treasurer Richard Moore's degree?

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate has been careful not to call it a master's in conversations with Dome and on a resume submitted to the N.C. Forum for Research and Economic Education. So what is it exactly?

According to a spokeswoman for the London School of Economics, Moore earned a "Diploma in Accounting and Finance" in December of 1984.

The diploma was "intended to furnish a basis for further graduate work in accounting and finance," according to a course description. But it wasn't a degree, explained press officer Esther Avery.

"Like its modern-day equivalent, the Diploma was therefore a graduate qualification requiring a high level of performance on an exacting course of study beyond undergraduate level, but in UK Higher Education terminology was technically distinct from a degree," she wrote Dome.

After the jump, the full description.

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