John Ross Hendrix, a graphic artist from Cary and a Democrat, said he plans to run against Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole next year.

Hendrix, 58, was a Republican when he sought the nomination for the 13th Congressional district last year. He lost the GOP nomination, finishing third with 12 percent. Vernon Robinson won the nomination and then was defeated by Democrat Brad Miller, Rob Christensen reports.

After the primary, he left the Republican Party and became a Democrat.

Hendrix said he would run on such issues as protecting the Bill of Rights, private property rights, passing a so-called FairTax, and securing America's borders.

The FairTax proposal would replace all federal income and payroll based taxes with a national retail sales tax.

A veteran of the 82nd Airborne whose son has had two tours of duty in Iraq, Hendrix said he didn’t oppose the war in Iraq but thinks it has "been done stupidly and needs a lot of changes."

Jim Neal, a Chapel Hill investment banker, is the only announced Democrat for the seat. But Democrats are courting state Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro and Raleigh attorney David Kirby.

Correction: An earlier version of the post misstated the district. 

House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman has again pulled his bill to mostly ban smoking in state government buildings, hotels and restaurants, Dan Kane reports.

The legislation had been scheduled for a vote in the House today, but Holliman said some of his supporters were absent for what he predicted would be a close vote.

The legislation has drawn opposition from the tobacco industry, some business groups and others concerned that it could infringe on personal property rights. Holliman, a Lexington Democrat, recently altered the bill to take out a smoking ban in work places, but the legislation allows local governments to take up such bans.

Holliman said he plans to have the bill up for a House vote on Tuesday.