John McCain's also got an empty seat on his train.

The Hill, a Washington-based newspaper, reported last night that at least 14 Republican members of Congress have refused to endorse or publicly support McCain, including one from North Carolina:

Many of the recalcitrant GOP members declined to detail their reasons for withholding support, but Rep. John Peterson (R-Pa.) expressed major concerns about McCain’s energy policies and Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) cited the Iraq war. ... Jones, who has voted repeatedly with Democrats on Iraq, said he can’t back McCain until he gets “a better explanation of the plans for Iraq and more discussion on the economy.” Jones added that no one from McCain’s campaign has reached out to him. 

U.S. Rep. Walter Jones today accepted a petition signed by 200,000 people calling for double-layered fencing along 700 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico to restrict illegal immigration.

The petition was presented by GrassFire.org, Rob Christensen reports. It urges Congressional action on a bill the Farmville Republican introduced in January requiring construction of the fence by next June.

"By fully funding a physicial fence across the U.S-Mexican border, and setting a date for completion, we can regain control of our nation’s borders and stop the flood if illegal immigration," said Jones, a Republican, said in a statement.

Among those joining Jones at a Washington news conference was Rep. Virginia Foxx.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi kept her pledge to Walter Jones.

Pelosi just called the U.S. House to order and observed a moment of silence in honor and memory of those killed or injured in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, reports Barb Barrett.

Jones, a Farmville Republican, asked Pelosi several weeks ago to begin each month’s legislative business with a moment of silence to the fallen. Just before the Memorial Day recess, Pelosi told him she would.

At 4:25 p.m., Pelosi gaveled the House to order and asked them to stand. The entire House was silent for a minute.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi likes U.S. Rep. Walter Jones' idea to honor the fallen troops during monthly moments of silence in Congress.

Jones, a Farmville Republican, pitched legislation earlier this month as a way to honor those killed or wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Barb Barrett reports. He wants a moment of silence on the first legislative day each month.

"Thank you for leadership," Pelosi wrote Jones this week. "Your idea is an excellent one and I plan to honor it when Congress returns."

The American Conservative Union ranked two North Carolina representatives tops.

U.S. Reps. Patrick McHenry and Virginia Foxx both scored 100 percent on the conservative group's annual Congressional ratings — two out of only 62 representatives to land among its "best and brightest" for the 2007 session.

At the same time, four Congressional Democrats — Reps. David Price, Brad Miller, Mel Watt and G.K. Butterfield — scored 0 percent, landing among the group's "worst of the worst."

The ratings were based on votes on a minimum wage hike, stem-cell research, the Iraq war, Amtrak funding, earmark reform, border security, support of Planned Parenthood and energy policy, among other things.

The rest of the delegation was in between. Among Republicans, Rep. Sue Myrick scored a 96, Rep. Howard Coble an 83, Rep. Robin Hayes a 79, and Rep. Walter Jones a 71. Among Democrats, Reps. Mike McIntyre and Heath Shuler, both Blue Dog Democrats, scored 44 and Rep. Bob Etheridge an 8.

Sens. Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole both scored a 92.

Who won the ad wars?

One measure is which candidate won. But the political ads are an art into themselves — great ads have been made for lousy candidates, and vice versa.

Which is why Under the Dome wants to recognize the work that went into those ubiquitous political commercials on TV.

The first category for a Domey is Best Positive Ad. (We define that as an ad that does not directly attack one's opponent, although it may make negative statements about "lobbyists" or "special interests.")

The nominees are:

Hillary Clinton: "Mike Easley," "Maya Angelou," "David," "Tammie," "Jewel," "N.C. Ask Me"

Barack Obama: "Minute," "Return," "In America," "Billy," "Turn It Off," "Nothing's Changed," "Need," "Join," "Enough"

Pat McCrory: "Change is Coming," "Jobs," "Immigration," "Caravan"

Beverly Perdue: "Andy Griffith," "Safe Schools," "Positive," "Generations," "Love and Faith"

Richard Moore: "Bulldog," "Challenge," "Studies," "Results"

Fred Smith: "Kitchen Table," "Immigration"

Bill Graham: "Together"

Kay Hagan: "Energy," "Roots"

Hampton Dellinger: "Real Change," "Meet Hampton"

Walter Dalton: "Walter Dalton"

Robert Pittenger: "Pork"

Walter Jones: "Pantano," "Border Security," "Military"

Janet Cowell: "Burned"

David Young: "Families," "Experience"

Wayne Goodwin: "Competence"

Post your vote in the comment thread below. 

The National Rifle Association has endorsed U.S. Rep. Walter Jones.

The gun-rights group's Political Victory Fund endorsed the Farmville Republican for re-election to his Congressional seat and gave him an "A" rating.

"During his tenure in the House, Congressman Jones has consistently supported the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners and sportsmen, and demonstrated a strong commitment to the Second Amendment and our country’s rich hunting heritage," said spokesman Chris W. Cox in a statement.

The group noted that Jones' opponent, former Onslow County commissioner Joe McLaughlin, did not complete the NRA's federal candidate questionnaire.

Update: The McLaughlin campaign says it never received a questionnaire. It has contacted the NRA asking for a clarification.

Former Onslow County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin's latest ad notes that U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, his opponent in the Republican primary, has received money from anti-war activists.

Marine veteran Ilario Pantano speaks for U.S. Rep. Walter Jones in his latest TV ad.

U.S. Rep. Walter Jones has condemned Barack Obama's remarks about guns and religion.

In a statement today, the Farmville Republican said he did not agree with the Democratic presidential candidate's recent characterization of small-town Pennsylvanians as "bitter."

"Senator Obama is clearly out of touch with the values of middle-class Americans," he said. "Those comments might be welcomed by liberal groups in San Francisco, but mainstream America resents these types of condescending remarks."

He added that "law-abiding citizens who believe in the Bible and the Constitution" do not want their values "mocked" by politicians.