RAND OUT: State Sen. Tony Rand is quitting the Senate. The news that the chamber's chief Democratic enforcer and most formidable political gamesmen is leaving likely thrilled liberal Democrats and conservatives alike. Rand is one of the great characters in state politics and the legislature just got a little more boring.

HOW MANY IS THAT: Gov. Bev Perdue's communications director David Kochman has resigned as her approval numbers remain in the sub-basment. From her days as lieutenant governor, Perdue has had four communications directors in six years, making the job a little bit like being the drummer for Spinal Tap. With luck, Perdue's approval rating will go above 11.

REP. HYPERBOLE: U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx said the Democrats' health reform proposals are more dangerous than terrorists. Republicans may have more to fear from Foxx's own mouth than anything Democrats have to say.

IN OTHER NEWS: President Barack Obama has nominated two North Carolina judges to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has had only six Tar Heels since 1801. With the election of a new mayor in Charlotte, Pat McCrory will be out of elected office, but his loss to Perdue is apparently still gnawing at him, so don't expect McCrory to be out of politics. N&O political cartoonist Dwane Powell has retired after 35 years of skewering politicians.

Charlotte defied what there was of a national tide Tuesday night, electing a Democratic mayor and 8 to 3 Democratic majority on city council.

Anthony Foxx became Charlotte's first Democratic mayor in 22 years and the second youngest in memory, defeating Republican John Lassiter on a night when Republicans won the Virginia and New Jersey governor's races. The explanation lies at least partly in Charlotte's demographic changes and the lack of a Democratic challenger with any political muscle in past races.

Now-U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, a Republican, defeated then-Mayor Harvey Gantt, a Democrat and African-American, in 1987, beginning a GOP hold on the office that didn't end until last night. But Myrick won by fewer than 1,000 votes in a city that was then 25 percent black. Charlotte is now 35 percent black, and Foxx will be the second African-American mayor.

In seven campaigns over 14 years, outgoing Mayor Pat McCrory never faced a strong Democratic opponent. He does, however, enjoy wide bipartisan support that a recent poll indicated was helping Lassiter.

Lastly Republicans failed to expand their base of support beyond the south-to-southeast wedge of Charlotte that has long been their base.

For the first time in 20 years, Pat McCrory voted in a Charlotte election and didn't see his name on the ballot.

Charlotte Observer columnist Tommy Tomlinson spent some time with McCrory on Tuesday as the Republican's tenure as mayor comes to a close. The paper is giving McCrory the full sendoff, including a photo gallery of him over the years. Here's a notable section of Tomlinson's column.

He expected to be voting on this day from Raleigh, as governor. He ran last year as a veteran mayor with a nationwide profile, a moderate Republican record and good hair. He took a whipping from Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue. He couldn't even carry Charlotte.

McCrory says Perdue spent more money on the ground and Barack Obama had long coattails. He says he's over it. But then he says he might run again. In a 45-minute stretch, he mentions the governor's race eight times. "That's a tough knot in the stomach," he says. 

Pat McCrory may have lost last year’s race for governor and then opted not to run for reelection as Charlotte’s mayor, but he’s still got clout with voters.

McCrory’s popularity among Charlotte voters is boosting the campaign of his fellow Republican, John Lassiter, according to an analysis by Tom Jensen, of the Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling.

McCrory holds broad support among Republicans and even more than a third of Democrats approve of the job he has done.

“His 69 percent approval with independents is one of the best we've measured for any politician in the country this year,” Jensen wrote in a recent blog posting.

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory joined the crew of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" for a few minutes this morning to talk about federal stimulus money and McCrory's flight yesterday with the "Miracle on the Hudson" crew from US Airways.

McCrory, the Republican nominee for governor last year, said the stimulus money was sold as building the nation's infrastructure but only a fraction of it has been used that way.

"Roosevelt built dams. Eisenhower built highways," McCrory said during his 7:30 a.m. appearance. "We're filling potholes."

The US Airways crew that safely landed their crippled aircraft in the Hudson River in January reunited for the same New York to Charlotte flight Thursday and McCrory was among the passengers.

Americans for Prosperity sponsored a "Hands Off My Health Care" rally Wednesday night at the State Fairgrounds. More than 1,000 people attended. The event featured speeches, including one by Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, who congratulated the crowd for getting Washington to listen to concerns about a Democratic plan to reform health care.

"I am convinced that had not the people spoke out in this extremely personal issue, the president would not be giving a speech tonight because the bill would have already been passed," McCrory said. "You did your job."

Staff photo by Ethan Hyman 

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory will host a "Hands off my Health Care" town hall meeting planned to coincide with President Barack Obama's speech to Congress about his health care agenda.

Attendees at the event, scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Kerr Scott Building at the N.C. State Fairgrounds, will be able to watch Obama's speech and then hear a rebuttal. They might even be able to cheer, clap, boo or hiss at the president's speech.

The event is hosted by Americans for Prosperity will be joined by leaders from the conservative leaning John Locke Foundation, the John William Pope Civitas Institute, doctors and patients.

Citizens will be urged to call their senators, visit their district offices, and sign the Patients First petition. The petition asks all members of Congress to oppose any legislation that imposes greater government control over health care and results in fewer choices for patients and their families.

The event is free of charge, and concessions will be available for purchase.

Update: The start time for the event has been moved back and hour. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event starts at 7 p.m.  

Unfortunately for Pat McCrory, the election for governor won't be held today.

According to a new poll, McCrory has a 14 point lead over Beverly Perdue in a hypothetical rematch of last year's election. The poll, conducted for the conservative-leaning Civitas Institute asked 600 voters who they would pick in a gubernatorial election between Perdue, a Democrat, and McCrory, a Republican.

McCrory got 46 percent and Perdue 32 percent. Another 22 percent were not sure.

"It’s pretty clear that many voters in North Carolina are now having buyer’s remorse," said Civitas Institute Senior Legislative Analyst Chris Hayes.

The hypothetical re-match may not be too far fetched. 

The poll also asked if voters would re-elect Perdue if the election were today.

The poll found that 55 percent said no, 26 percent said yes and 19 percent were not sure.

The poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, was conducted by Tel Opinion Research of Alexandria, Virginia from July 14 to 17.

THINGS CHANGED: Though they once dismissed talk of big tax increases, state Democratic leaders reached what they thought was a budget deal this week. Just as lawmakers and weary staff members began to envision an approaching end to the session, Gov. Beverly Perdue shredded the deal and sent negotiators back to the meeting room.

LOOKING AHEAD: Lots of folks were dreaming about their political futures this week. Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, like Rocky Balboa, is contemplating a rematch. Legislative Republicans all but began writing campaign literature for next year about the Democrats' tax increases. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall tried to build buzz on a possible challenge to U.S. Sen. Richard Burr.

HEALTHY DEBATE: Pharmaceutical company ads praised our U.S. senators on TV. At the RBC Center, hundreds enjoyed a Mexican food buffet and tales of a nightmarish future brought on by President Barack Obama's health care reform plan. The president's campaign apparatus awoke within the state. So apparently there's a big health care debate going on in Washington.

IN OTHER NEWS: State residents were shocked to learn this week that UNC-Chapel Hill has a bloated administration. Bill Harrison threw in the towel and announced he would retire as the state schools CEO, clearing the way for elected Superintendent June Atkinson to run the schools. A bill on its way to becoming law eliminates the waiting period to become a member of "private clubs," the technical definition of most bars across the state. Best to go get that drink before the new sin tax kicks in.

Could Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory be thinking about a rematch against Gov. Beverly Perdue?

McCrory, a Republican, has hardly kept a low profile since losing the governor's race to Perdue. But in answering some questions for The Charlotte Observer, McCrory sounded more like a candidate launching a shot at his Democratic opponent. The Observer's Julia Oliver asked McCrory about the impact new taxes could have on Charlotte.

Raising taxes at the local level is as harmful as raising taxes at the State level; they lead to fewer jobs. I will not consider a tax increase and will have to make the tough decisions to reduce the size of government spending. In October 2008, then Lt. Governor Perdue said, "I don't believe you can raise taxes in an economy with folks struggling the way they are." I agree.

Republican strategists and many Democrats said after the November election that Perdue got a big bump with voters from President Barack Obama. And Perdue's polling numbers are way down these days. Of course, the election is not for three more years and Perdue has plenty of time to turn her popularity around.