There has been some grumbling among lobbyists who through it was inappropriate that they received a campaign solicitation from Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, whose office regulates lobbyists.

Marshall, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate race next year, sent out an e-mail solicitation on her birthday (Nov. 18) asking for an $18 campaign donation to mark the occasion, reports Rob Christensen.

"We didn't intentionally put any lobbyists on the list," said Thomas Mills, Marshall's campaign manager. "If they got a solicitation it is because they had some sort of relationship with Secretary Marshall in the past. We would be glad to remove their names."

Mills said the solicitation went out to a broad range of people, including people who had contributed to her past campaigns, friends and others. He said people can easily unsubscribe from Marshall's e-mail list.

Former Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker said Wednesday that he would not challenge Republican Sen. Richard Burr next year.

Wicker, a Raleigh lawyer and a Democrat, said he seriously considered a Senate bid this time and received strong encouragement to take the plunge, Rob Christensen reports.

"The demands of raising $15 million to $20 million is just an enormous amount of money," Wicker said.

He also cited the demands of a relatively young family and a full-time law practice.

"Richard Burr is going to be a tough opponent," Wicker said. "But it is a winnable race for a Democrat. About this time in the 2008 election cycle the Democrats were scrambling for a candidate, when Kay Hagan said yes then said no and then came back and said yes. A year is an eternity in politics. It may not look like a great year for Democrats. But it can change quickly, particularly if the economy improves."

Wicker is a former state House majority leader and was a candidate for governor in 2000.

There are two Democrats who have announced their candidacy: Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and Chapel Hill lawyer Kenneth Lewis. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has been trying to convince former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, an Iraq veteran who previously decided not to run, to enter the race.

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge previously decided not to run.

GRADE STIMULUS: A Goldsboro middle school was lambasted this week for its plan to award extra test points — enough to raise a letter grade — in exchange for cash contributions for the school. The lesson for students: Hard work, perseverance and positive attitude will be rewarded. And if that doesn't work, a nice crisp $20 couldn't hurt.

CHOPPED LIVER; The race for the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Richard Burr got lots of attention this week. Lexington lawyer Cal Cunningham is out. U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge is going for a new fence-sitting record. Two others are thinking about it. All the buzz about candidates who aren't running can't be flattering to the only two people who are: lawyer Kenneth Lewis and Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.

SHE'S BACK: Gov. Bev Perdue got a big bump in her job approval, apparently because of her refusal to release violent inmates despite a court ruling. Perdue has been hitting the public events pretty hard and making big announcements. A few more ribbon cuttings and another stand at a jail-house door and Perdue might just be liked again.

IN OTHER NEWS: Sen. Martin Nesbitt appears to have a lock on the job of Senate majority leader...The state's pension fund is beginning to recover from a financial slump...Barack Obama's campaign was the source of the tip that John Edwards got $400 haircuts.

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge has still has not issued a statement on whether he will challenge Republican Sen. Richard Burr next year.

But Dome would be shocked if he announces for the Senate. The word in Democratic circles is that Etheridge has decided to seek re-election to his House seat.

Etheridge has been heavily courted by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee since last spring as the strongest potential challenger to Burr. But Etheridge has always been politically cautious and has passed on Senate races in the past. And he recently gained a coveted seat on the House Ways and Means Committee.

The Lillington Democrat has already told the senatorial committee his decision, but they asked him to put off an announcement for a day or two.

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North Carolinians appear to be a bit more satisfied with U.S. Sen. Richard Burr.

The latest survey by Public Policy Polling shows that the numbers have improved slightly for Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican who is up for re-election next year.

PPP surveyed 711 North Carolina voters from Nov. 9-11. They found that 40 percent of North Carolinians approve of the job Burr is doing, while 31 percent disapprove. That's better than the 38 percent rating Burr got in last month's poll by PPP, and 36 percent in September.

Burr leads U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (45-35), Secretary of State Elaine Marshall (45-34), former Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker (45-33), Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy (44-32), and Chapel Hill attorney Ken Lewis (45-32).

The survey's margin of error was plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee sees big gains for Republicans in the U.S. House next year.

Huckabee will be in Raleigh Thursday night to sign copies of his new book "A Simple Christmas" at Quail Ridge Books and Music on Wade Avenue and the N&O's Ray Martin caught up with him.

Huckabee won the Iowa caucuses in 2008, and is considered by many to be the early favorite for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. He also hosts his own Fox News show that airs on weekends at 8 p.m. In a brief interview, Huckabee reflected on his book, playing the guitar and the state of the Republican Party. He remained ambivalent about a potential White House run.

This is your seventh book. What motivated you to write a book about Christmas?

It was mentioned by my publisher, and I kicked the idea around and decided to go with it. It's turned out fabulously. This has been by favorite book. When people read it, it makes them think of their own lives and their own Christmas stories, which was exactly my intention.

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TO RUN OR NOT TO RUN: For much of the fall, U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge has played the role of a political Hamlet as he decides whether to seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr next year.

Etheridge had initially indicated he would not run for the Senate this time, but key Senate leaders prevailed on him to reconsider underscoring the importance of the national parties in Senate races. The Democrat's Senate organization was a crucial player in Kay Hagan's victory over incumbent Elizabeth Dole. (N&O)

GRADES OFF THE MARKET: The Wayne County school system has ordered an end to a fundraiser that allowed parents to buy extra credit for their children. The system says it may take further action. (N&O)

OBAMA MART: The store in Kabul is a taxpayers nightmare. Named after the U.S. president (it was Bush Mart, but Obama Mart is gaining acceptance), the store is chocked full of items that were clearly meant for U.S. soldiers or Marines but are now being sold to Afghans. Military officials say they monitor the stores for sensitive items. (N&O)

Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy says he hopes to decide by the end of the month whether to enter the U.S. Senate race.

"I'm still talking to people," Foy said. "It's been an education for me to find out what people are thinking about."

He said the main concern is that people are worried about the economy.

"A lot of people are concerned about what kind of representation we have," Foy said. "We are an emerging dominate state and have weak federal representation."

The most daunting aspect of a Senate race, Foy said, was the millions of dollars that would have to be raised.

So far two Democrats have entered the race to challenge Republican Richard Burr: Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and Durham lawyer Kenneth Lewis.

Former Lt Gov. Dennis Wicker says if his friend U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge doesn't get into the Senate race, he might.

"The truth is I am continuing to talk to people who encourage me to run," Wicker told Rob Christensen. "If he (Etheridge) were to rule it out, it would increase my interest. Right now I continue to listen to people."

"I realize that the time frame is getting tighter," Wicker said, "but this is something I continue to think about."

Wicker, a Sanford resident who practices law in Raleigh, is a former state House majority leader and two-term lieutenant governor, who lost the Democratic primary for governor to Mike Easley in 2000.

He said it would take a strong candidate to defeat Republican Sen. Richard Burr next year.

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge plans to make a decision on whether to enter next year's Senate race later this week, according to a spokesman.

The Lillington Democrat had hoped to already have already made a decision, but Rob Christensen reports that he was delayed by the weekend vote on the health care legislation and by the Veterans Day activities.

He is being courted by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which would like for him to challenge Republican Sen. Richard Burr next year. The long delay in Etheridge's decision apparently was a factor in former state Sen. Cal Cunningham's announcement Monday that he would not be a Senate candidate.

Cunningham apparently thought he would get the backing of the Senatorial Committee if Etheridge decided not to run.