With the Democrats' annual Vance-Aycock fundraising dinner in Asheville a little over a week away, there is still no scheduled speaker.

Democratic leaders are sending out fundraising e-mails boasting about what big speakers they had last year, reports Rob Christensen. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen was the keynoter, but Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama made a surprise visit. Obama was nearby prepping for a debate with his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

This year's event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3.

North Carolina Democrats are probably holding out for some big-name Democrat from Washington. They landed Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the Democratic National Committee chairman, for their Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner dinner in Raleigh in the spring.

Given the emphasis that the Obama administration has put on North Carolina, which Obama carried by the slimmest of margins last year, a big name seems possible.

Ed Turlington, a Raleigh lawyer long plugged into state and national Democratic politics, has been elected to the Democratic National Committee.

He was one of 75 at-large delegates nominated by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the party chairman, and elected by the DNC at its meeting last weekend in Austin, Rob Christensen reports.

Also elected from North Carolina was Joyce Brayboy, the former chief of staff to Congressman Mel Watt of Charlotte.

Turlington was in some pretty good company having been chosen along with such major party figures as Elaine Kamarck, Maria Echaveste, Alexis Herman, Dennis Archer, Harold Ickes, Gerald McEntee, Anna Burger, John Sweeney, and Don Fowler.

Turlington was general chairman of John Edwards 2004 presidential campaign and was a top aide to Sen. Bill Bradley's 2000 campaign, as well being closely associated with such Tar Heel figures as former Gov. Jim Hunt and Sen. Terry Sanford.

He was apppointed to the DNC's Resolutions Committee. Appointed co-chair of the DNC's Credentials Committee was Everett Ward of Raleigh, a former executive director of the Democratic Party.

* N.C. Republican Party chair candidate Chad Adams to have a meet-in-greet Wednesday in Raleigh at the home of Pat McCrory's sister.

* House Speaker Joe Hackney tells legislators they're going to have to stick around on Friday to get work done before crossover.

* Sex ed bill briefly delayed by Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools, which have a more progressive policy that they want grandfathered in.

* Gov. Beverly Perdue lobbies Democratic Party chair to bring the 2012 national convention to Charlotte; first state to express interest.

The Democrats for decades have had their annual Jefferson-Jackson fund raising dinner in Raleigh.

But on Saturday, some 400 to 500 Democrats are expected to gather at the Durham Marriott Convention Center, Rob Christensen reports.

David Young, the state Democratic chairman, said he wanted to see the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner moved around periodically and he said Durham was a good place to start because of its strong Democratic showing in last year’s election.

The featured speaker at the $100-per plate dinner is national Democratic chairman Tim Kaine, the governor of Virginia. North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue invited Kaine, and she will be on hand to play host.

The appearance by Kaine is another indication that the Obama administration is paying a lot of attention to North Carolina. Both President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have visited the state.

More after the jump.

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Tim Kaine is coming to North Carolina.

The Virginia governor and chairman of the Democratic National Committee will be the guest speaker at the N.C. Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner.

Gov. Beverly Perdue and other state officials will also be at the event.

Tickets to the annual fundraiser, one of two major events held by the party, go on sale today at the party's Web site.

The event will be held at the Durham Marriott on May 2.

Kaine was in North Carolina last June for a training session at the Hunt Institute.

Previous speakers include Al Gore, Barack Obama and Sen. Evan Bayh.

Former House Speaker Dan Blue of Raleigh has been named to a 37-member commission that will examine the Democratic Party's rules for the 2012 presidential nominating and delegate selection process.

Blue, a state lawmaker and attorney, was appointed to the commission by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the national Democratic party chairman, Rob Christensen reports.

Kaine wants the commission to examine three issues: changing the window of time during which primaries and caucuses can be held, reducing the number of super delegates, and improving the caucus system.

The Democrats last year survived a prolonged primary fight between Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The long competition resulted in an intense courtship for the support of the super delegates — the elected and party leaders — who potentially could have decided a close contest at the national convention.

The co-chairs of the Democratic Change Commission are South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill.

North Carolina has played an important role in the past in helping shape the presidential primary system. In the early 1980s, Gov. Jim Hunt headed a commission that created the super delegates. The chief staff person on the committee was Congressman David Price.

Price also co-chaired the Democrats' 2008 presidential nominating commission. Raleigh attorney Ed Turlington served on the commission.

Gov. Beverly Perdue told her Cabinet Monday morning to be aggressive in searching for federal money for the state.

She urged them to become familiar with all the federal rules, to get to know leading federal officials, Rob Christensen reports.

She said she was reaching out to neighboring governors Tim Kaine of Virginia and Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, in searching for federal money for joint projects that would benefit North Carolina.

"It's important to be as aggressive as we can be," Perdue said.

And where possible and legal, Perdue said, make sure that contracts from the stimulus package go to Tar Heel companies.

"Make sure North Carolina people get the work," Perdue said.

Acting on a campaign promise to make state government more transparent, Perdue opened up her Cabinet meeting to the news media for the first time on Monday.

"This is what happens when you open the doors to sunshine," Perdue told her Cabinet when noting the presence of a reporter.

Who didn't play hooky to see Barack Obama?

As noted previously, three governors in town for a training session at the Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership showed up at an Obama event Monday: Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and former Gov. Roy Romer of Colorado.

Though they were on the guest list, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley did not show.

They had a good reason, of course. The Hunt Institute had scheduled discussions on education all day Monday in Chapel Hill, and seeing Obama meant making a 40-minute drive to Raleigh and missing a healthy chunk of the three-day session.

But it's worth noting who else didn't make the drive: Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Guam Gov. Felix Perez Camacho.

Camacho and Pawlenty have a good excuse: They're Republicans.

For their part, Sebelius, Napolitano and Kaine may not have wanted to fuel further speculation that they'll be picked as Obama's vice president (though that didn't stop Schweitzer from glad-handing.) And Doyle and Sebelius have already done their duties here.

Update: Sebelius and Napolitano were at an Obama fundraiser in Chapel Hill. 

A few notable politicians were not in the audience today.

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, who endorsed Barack Obama, was the most notable absence at an event at the N.C. State Fairgrounds, especially since her former Democratic opponent Richard Moore was on hand.

U.S. Senate candidate Kay Hagan and lieutenant governor candidate Walter Dalton were also not in the audience. Neither has endorsed Obama.

A few out-of-state politicians expected to attend were no-shows.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley were supposed to be at the event, according to an advance e-mail from Obama staffer Jen Psaki.

The governors are in town to attend a Hunt Institute training session in Chapel Hill. Three of their colleagues from the session that Psaki said would be at the event were there, however.

Former Gov. Jim Hunt was also not in attendance, though he has been at Obama events in the past.