Walter Dalton received $1.5 million in contributions by the end of June.

The Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor received $255,305 in contributions during the second quarter of the year, according to his most recent campaign finance report.

Major donors included Crandall Bowles, Greensboro executive Joseph Bryan Jr., Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, Franklin Street Partners executive Robert Eubanks, Capstrat CEO Ken Eudy and developer Mack Pearsall. 

He also received contributions from political action committees such as the Bank of America PAC, the Baxter Healthcare PAC, the N.C. Home Builders Association, DominionPAC, the N.C. Restaurant Association, the N.C. Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Wal-Mart's PAC and the N.C. Trucking Association.

He also spent $637,602 in the second quarter, leaving him with $177,357 in cash on hand.

Robert Pittenger received $1.9 million in contributions by the end of June.

The Republican nominee for lieutenant governor raised $435,102 in the second quarter of 2008, according to his most recent campaign finance report.

Major donors included real estate developer Justus Ammons, Carolina Panthers coach John Fox and Carolina Mills chairman George Moretz.

He also received money from political action committees such as Carolina Conservatives, the Kerr Drug PAC, Wal-Mart's Wal-PAC, the Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Association PAC and the Wilmington Anesthesiologists PAC.

His campaign still owes a $500,000 loan from his wife, Suzanne.

He spent $450,216 in the second quarter, leaving him with $316,190 in cash on hand.

Update: Pittenger also gave his own campaign $150,000 in the second quarter. 

Rep. Robin Hayes won a Congressional shootout — for real.

The Concord Republican was one of a group of a number of Republican and Democratic Congressmen who competed in an annual shooting contest on May 13 sponsored by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation.

According to a press release from the group, Hayes triumphed as the 2008 individual Congressional Top Gun, while Republicans overall emerged as winners.

Individual contests were also held in shooting skeet, trap and clay.

The shootout was presented by ATK and the National Rifle Association and hosted by Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's and Wal-Mart.

The lottery sure would like to have its tickets available at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Costco, Rite Aid and other large retailers.

And the retailers have told the lottery that they would like the extra money that tickets would bring. But the retailers are not crazy about having employees sell or keep an eye on tickets, lottery director Tom Shaheen told the Lottery Commission Thursday.

"Our corporate account staff has been pounding their heads into the ground for the past two years trying to get these accounts," Shaheen said.

The commission gave the sales reps a tool Wednesday that might help seal the deal. The commissioners approved spending up to $2.4 million on "lottery to go" machines, vending machines that can sell scratch-off as well as Powerball, Pick 3 and Cash 5 tickets.

The machines are built and sold by GTECH Holdings of Rhode Island, which has a contract to run the state's lottery games.

Shaheen said the lottery wouldn't buy or lease the machines unless a major retailer says they want them. But having the commission's approval to get the machines might help sales reps close the deal, he said.

SANFORD—Former President Bill Clinton was courting Wal-Mart Democrats Wednesday, telling that his wife was the best prepared to be the next president.

"If you vote for her, you'll make her the next president," Clinton told about 400 people at an Apex community center, Rob Christensen reports.

Clinton said he planned to stop in 40  smaller communities in North Carolina before next Tuesday's Democratic primary showdown between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

At each stop, Clinton said one unnamed pundits had belittled his campaign visits  in small towns, saying his next step will be hauling Wal-Mart shoppers to the polls.

"He thought he was insulting me," Clinton said. "I thought it was a great idea."

Clinton avoided any mention of Obama or any of the controversies involving his pastor.

He touted her plans to create more jobs, provide universal health care coverage, and withdraw the troops from Iraq in a responsibile way. He also said she was the best choice to expand pre-kindergarten programs and to make college more affordable.

"She has spent her life as a change maker,"he told several hundred people in Sanford, standing on platform under a pine tree.

Fred Smith received $14,500 from political action committees by the end of 2007.

According to his mid-year and year-end campaign finance reports, the Republican gubernatorial candidate received donations from a dozen PACs.

The top contributor was Progress Energy, which gave $4,000. Wachovia gave $2,000.

Smith also received $1,000 each from Carolina Conservatives, a PAC affiliated with state Sen. Eddie Goodall; the N.C. Association of Convenience Stores; the N.C. Home Builders Association; J.M. Family Enterprises; the Manufactured Housing PAC; the N.C. Farm Bureau and Wal-Mart.

He also received $500 donations from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, PSNC Energy and the Island Preservation PAC, a Wilmington-based group focused on coastal issues.

Richard Moore received $105,965 from political action committees since 2005.

According to campaign finance reports filed since his 2004 re-election as state treasurer, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate received donations from 45 PACs.

He received $4,000 apiece from ACS, Bank of America, BB&T, Wachovia, Central Carolina Radioloigsts, Coca-Cola, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Harnett Citizens PAC, Kennedy Covington, the N.C. Hospital Association, Replacements Ltd., Southeastern Radiology Organization, the Nationwide Carolina Political Participation Fund, the National Good Government Fund.

He received $3,965 from the Pike Electric PAC, $3,500 from the Capital Area Radiologic Association, $3,000 apiece from Corning employees' PAC and Genworth Financial, and $2,200 from Piedmont Stone Center.

He received $2,000 from the Ashland/APAC North Carolina PAC, CCHTA, GlaxoSmithKline, the N.C. Automobile Dealers Association, the N.C. Realtors Association, Pfizer, Sandhills Anesthesiologists, PBSJ Corp., the South Financial Group, United Health Services and Wal-Mart. 

He received $1,500 from Piedmont Natural Gas.

Other donors included Duke Energy, First Citizens Bank, Marqim, the N.C. Association of Convenience Stores, Smithfield Foods, the N.C. Bar Association and the N.C. Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association. 

Janet Cowell raised $210,260 by the end of 2007.

The Democratic candidate for state treasurer raised $187,222 from major donors, including state Sen. Martin Nesbitt, Public Policy Polling owner Dean Debnam, political consultant Brad Crone and Capitol Broadcasting owner James Goodmon.

She also raised $16,608 from donors who gave less than $50, and $6,430 from political action committees, including Wal-Mart's PAC, NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina and state Sen. William Purcell's campaign, according to a campaign finance report filed with the State Board of Elections last week.

At the same time, she spent $69,354 on consulting, database software and staff salaries.

That left her with cash on hand of $137,396.

Fred Smith raised $690,922 by the end of 2007.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate raised $632,984 from larger donors, including state Rep. Carolyn Justice, Raleigh attorney Perry Safran and developer Andy Ammons, according to a campaign finance report filed with the State Board of Elections today.

He raised $28,823 from donors who gave less than $50; $14,500 from political action committees, including Progress Energy, Wachovia and Wal-Mart; and $14,500 from political campaigns, including state Reps. Mitch Gillespie and Leo Daughtry.

In addition, he loaned his campaign $1.9 million.

At the same time, Smith spent $1.5 million on barbecue, renting facilities for campaign events, production of television ads, consultants, signs and bumper stickers.

That left him with $1.1 million in cash on hand at the end of the year.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama exchanged sharp words Monday.

At a debate in Myrtle Beach, the Democratic presidential candidates criticized each others' records and political tactics.

Clinton said Obama was associated with a "slumlord," while Obama said Clinton worked as an attorney for Wal-Mart. At one point, she defended a criticism of her husband, by saying she was the one running for president.

"I can't tell who I'm running against sometimes," Obama retorted.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards objected that he was not given equal time. 

The two-hour debate, sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus, was intended to commemorate the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (NYT)