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OBAMA TO NAME MEL WATT AS HOUSING CHIEF: President Barack Obama intends to nominate Rep. Melvin Watt to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the government regulator that oversees lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a White House official told the Associated Press.  The president was expected to name Watt, a 20-year veteran of the House, on Wednesday, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.

HOUSE, SENATE STILL APART ON TAX PLAN: Senate Republicans are expected to debut a comprehensive tax plan in coming days -- but don't expect the House to stand at their side. Rep. David Lewis, the lead House tax negotiator, said Tuesday they still haven't found complete agreement. "The two chambers are not yet on one accord," he said. Lewis said he's optimistic the two sides will still unify around a single plan. He wouldn't identify the sticking point but it is likely how to pay for the plan -- with the Senate wanting to tax dozens of new services and the House wanting a more modest approach.

***Click below to keep reading the Dome Morning Memo for more details on Watt's new post -- and what it means in North Carolina -- as well as more political news and analysis.***

McCRORY TO ANNOUNCE MEDICAID SYSTEM OVERHAUL: Gov. Pat McCrory rejected a Medicaid expansion earlier this year saying the system was broken and Wednesday morning he is expected to describe how he plans to fix it. The Republican has talked frequently about the rising costs of the healthcare system for select low-income and disabled residents and issued a video preview Tuesday saying he would create a "partnership" that will help keep costs low. Check Dome later today for more details from the 10 a.m. press conference.

***It's a jam-packed day in North Carolina politics. Get the full scoop on all the big stories from the Dome Morning Memo below. Send tips and news to dome@newsobserver.com.***

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: The voter ID talk continues today at 1 p.m. in a House committee after more than four hours of comments Tuesday about the topic -- but not an actual bill. (More on this below.) Other House committees will consider an immigration measure to restrict the use of Mexican consular documents and a bill to limit lottery advertising. The House convenes at 3 p.m. The Senate at 2 p.m. to take a final vote on the Charlotte aiport authority. A Senate committee will consider UNC Board of Governors nominations at a 4 p.m. meeting. Gov. Pat McCrory lists no public events on his schedule.

McCRORY JOB RATING HOLDS STEADY: The Republican governor's approval rating stabalized in the latest Public Policy Polling survey after a month in which his negatives spiked. The March poll from the Democratic firm put McCrory's approval rating at 49 percent with 35 percent disapproving. Another 16 percent remain unsure. Pollster Tom Jensen previewed the numbers Tuesday on News14's Capital Tonight program with Tim Boynum. Check Dome for more when the full poll is released later Wednesday.

***Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo -- the shot of caffeine that gets the North Carolina political crowd started. Send news and tips to dome@newsobserver.com. Read more news and analysis below.***

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: A House committee will consider a constitutional amendment to stregthen private property rights and restrict eminent domain. A Senate committee will take up the House unemployment overhaul On the floor, the Senate is expected to consider a controversial GOP power grab to sweep clean Democratic appointments to boards and commissions. And the House will vote on its permanent rules for the legislative session.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE STATEHOUSE: The House will honor the 50th anniversary of the legislative building with a resolution Wednesday. Gov. Pat McCrory will attend.

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The grounds of the state Capitol, a monument to democracy, should be a place where people can assemble in small crowds peacefully, a Durham lawyer representing one of the Occupy Raleigh protesters. But Rashad A. Hauter, an assistant Wake County district attorney, argues that on certain state properties, particularly those where high-profile, politically-charged business happens, the right to protest is limited, in part, by the size of the Capitol police force, which saw its budget slashed in half last year. Read more here.

Other political headlines: 

--A member of the newly created board that is supposed to write regulations to govern natural gas drilling in North Carolina is raising eyebrows among state environmentalists.

--City officials in Roanoke Rapids approved electronic gambling this week for the 5-year-old beleaguered entertainment facility formerly known as the Randy Parton Theatre to cover its costs.

--From AP: The North Carolina Democratic Party, which has staggered through months of infighting in the wake of sexual harassment allegations at party headquarters, is well behind in the race for money with Republicans heading into the fall election.

Republicans are playing games with Saturday's state Democratic Party convention, crafting a scavenger hunt game.

The faux search is replete with references to talking points pushed by the GOP, such as linking the unpopular Gov. Bev Perdue with Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, the Democratic nominee for governor.

At the Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C. Democrats are understandably getting a lotta love with a prime hotel downtown. But how about N.C. Republicans at the Tampa convention in August?

Well, not so lucky. The hotel assignments released Monday put GOPers from the Tar Heel State in ... St. Petersburg.

The state's delegates will stay at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront hotel across Tampa Bay from all the convention action. 

As a former Tampa resident and reporter for the St. Pete paper, here's some intel on the locale: Think roughly 30 to 40 minute drive across either of the two crowded bridges that cross Tampa Bay north to Tampa.

The TV satellite trucks are no longer stationary outside the N.C. Democratic Party headquarters on Hillsborough Street. But many questions surrounding the sexual harassment claims that crippled the party still remain unanswered. Here's a few storylines left in my notebook:

1. The money. The cost of the settlement with the former Democratic Party staffer who alleged sexual harassment and the source of the money is still unknown. But here's a more interesting point that went underreported: At the press conference, when I asked Chairman David Parker the source of the payout he said this: "I do not know. I leave that up the lawyer." So attorney John Wallace is authorized to spend party money and select its source as he sees fit? 

As the Democrats prepare for a statewide tour next week, Republicans are quick to counter with bombs, calling it the "Tax Me More Tour."

The GOP is trying to smear all Democrats with a plan advanced by Rep. Bill Faison to resume the one-penny sales tax to cover cuts to education. "Their motto for job-creation is clear, ‘Read our lips: more new taxes for everyone,'" suggested Republican Party spokesman Rob Lockwood.

The Democrats haven't released any policy proposals ahead of the tour. And it's worth noting that House Democratic Leader Joe Hackney isn't among the 34 lawmakers who endorsed Faison's plan. 

With help from organized labor and its own candidates, the N.C. Democratic Party has continued to outraise the state Republican Party, but the GOP has narrowed the gap from earlier elections, new reports show.

The Democratic Party has raised $5.7 million through mid-October compared to $4.4 million for the GOP. But the Republican Party has raised twice as much as it had for the same period in 2008 and three times as much in the last mid-term election year of 2006, Jim Morrill reports.

The Democratic Party, on the other hand, is almost $2 million shy of what it took in 2008 and $1 million behind what it raised in 2006.

Both parties relied on wealthy donors and their own candidates. The Democratic Party got money from many of its candidates. Senate Finance Committee Co-Chairman Dan Clodfelter, who represents a Democratic-leaning Charlotte district, gave the party $110,550 from his campaign fund.

The Teamsters’ union political action committee gave $32,500.

The GOP also tapped its members. The campaign of Sen. Tom Apodaca of Henderson County gave $120,000. Sen. Harry Brown of Onslow County gave $175,000.

Both parties spent the money on election-related activities.