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."

Here are the top five state colleges for earmark requests:

N.C. State University: 23 requests, seven Congressmen, $58.9 million, to study nanotechnology, pig waste, sweet potatoes, aquaculture, biotechnology and textiles, among other things.

N.C. A&T State University: 10 requests, four Congressmen, $23.8 million, to study using cattails for biofuel, retrain workers, research microelectronics and run a math literacy program, among other things.

East Carolina University: Nine requests, two Congressmen, $18.5 million, to study obesity and diabetes, help returning military personnel, research biofuels, pig waste and coastal development, among other things.

UNC-Chapel Hill: Eight requests, five Congressmen, $18 million, to study solar power, research public health trends, develop a technology curriculum, run a cancer center and start a virtual warfare center.

Wake Forest University: Two requests, one Congressman, $15 million, to study regenerative medicine.

In all, 31 colleges requested $184.5 million worth of earmarks through the Congressional delegation this year.

Other requestors included Shaw University, Bennett College for Women, the UNC School of the Arts, Winston-Salem State University, Rockingham Community College and Central Piedmont Community College.

Non-stop campaigning can even faze the show-biz celebrities out supporting the presidential candidates.

After an Obama rally at Shaw University this weekend, comedy star Chris Rock said he'd done four or five recent events supporting Obama, Tommy Goldsmith reports.

Asked for the location of the stops, Rock was a little shaky.
"All over," he said. "Where am I now?"

Comedian Chris Rock will host a “Vote for Change” rally for Barack Obama at Shaw University on Saturday.

The event starts at 3 p.m., with Rock expected to speak at about 3:45 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Shaw officials said Rock will be encouraging citizens to vote early if not on election day itself. Saturday voting hours have been extended until 5 p.m.

Rock, 43, rose to stardom as a player on Saturday Night Live, then starred in numerous films including “New Jack City,” “Nurse Betty” and “Head of State.” He created the acclaimed series “Everybody Hates Chris.”

The state budget includes $500,000 for athletes at black colleges.

The scholarship fund was tucked into the budget a few hours before the final vote and did not come up for debate in a committee.

Under the fund, two athletes at each of the state's 10 historically black colleges and universities will receive a $1,250-a-year scholarship, paid from the fund's interest.

Five of the colleges are private institutions, including Shaw University and St. Augustine's in Raleigh.

Athletic scholarships at public colleges are typically funded by private donations.

State Sen. Charlie Dannelly, a Charlotte Democrat, said he requested the money. (N&O)