Harry comes to Cary

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be in the Triangle on Friday to raise money for his tough re-election campaign.

The event could raise eyebrows from North Carolina Senate Democratic candidates, Elaine Marshall and Cal Cunningham, who are finding fundraising a hard slog for their June 22 primary runoff, reports Rob Christensen.

Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan helped put together the reception that will be held Friday evening at the Umstead Hotel in Cary.

"Sen. Hagan invited Sen Reid to come down this  weekend for the event," said Bruce Thompson, a Raleigh attorney and Democratic fundraiser. "She is trying to give him support for his campaign."

Also hosting the event are: Dennis Gillings, chairman and CEO of Quintiles Transnational Corp.; and Richard Sullivan, former finance director for the Democratic National Committee.

The cost of the event for an individual or a political action committee ranges from $1,000 to $5,000.

Hagan is not only helping her party leader, who the polls suggest is in some political trouble back home in Nevada. But it could also be viewed as a thank you for 2008, when the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent $11 million on her behalf to help her defeat Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole.