It'll take $8.5 million, Senate hopeful says

Former state Sen. Cal Cunningham figures he needs $8.5 million to win the U.S. Senate race.

Cunningham, a Lexington Democrat, described his fundraising needs and chances in the election in a prospectus. His budget is based on Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's victory over Republican Elizabeth Dole last year.

The prospectus says Hagan raised and spent $8.5 million - $1.4 million in primary spending and $7.1 million in general election campaign spending.

"Cunningham anticipates spending $1.5 million to communicate in the primary campaign and another $7 million for the general election," according to the prospectus.

The document is written as a question-and-answer pitch about Cunningham's chances and assets.

Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is vulnerable, according to the prospectus, because his polling numbers are down and his votes in the Senate can be used against him. The document says nothing about Cunningham's Democratic primary opponents, Elaine Marshall and Kenneth Lewis.

The prospectus says Cunningham has the full backing of the national Democratic Party.

Easley did 'less with more'

Former Gov. Mike Easley's downfall began shortly after he was elected governor, writes one of Easley's fraternity brothers.

In an article in Raleigh Metro Magazine, Jim Hughes writes that Easley was an impressive young man, although at times he seemed secretive and remote. He was a rising political star. But his rise ended just about the moment he became governor.

He inherited a deep budget deficit and soon lost interest in legislative maneuverings. He was annoyed that the press corps unfavorably compared him to former Gov. Jim Hunt. Easley famously avoided public events.

"I used to joke he was the only man in North Carolina who played more golf than I did," Hughes wrote of Easley. "He was the anti-Hunt. He hated those meaningless pre-fabricated events and refused to attend the vast majority of them. You couldn't get him to an economic development announcement if you baited the field with Jeff Foxworthy. Nobody would say it out loud, but a lot of times he'd be hiding out on the golf course or at his Southport retreat. Sometimes he'd just sit home alone in the mansion indulging his inner redneck watching 'King of the Hill' reruns."

Hughes continues:

"In the end, eight years of Easley went by without much getting done. The record is there for all to see. History gives no mulligans. The question now is will the current controversy tarnish his legacy? And you might ask: What legacy? Championing the lottery, wrecking race cars and accepting free memberships to exclusive golf clubs are no way to make the gubernatorial hall of fame."

Hughes said Easley missed his chance to be one of the giants of North Carolina politics.

"We've had worse governors," he writes, "but I don't know any who accomplished less with more."

Perdue wants more lending

Gov. Bev Perdue wants the state's members of Congress to support measures she said would ease the credit crisis facing small businesses.

In a recent letter to the state's congressional delegation, Perdue said the federal government should support the state's efforts to increase lending. Specifically, Perdue says, the federal government should:

Identify money that can be distributed to banks specifically for small-business lending.

Extend the availability of certain Small Business Administration-backed loans and ease the regulatory pressures applied to lenders.

Consider tax incentives for small businesses that create jobs as a result of federally backed loans.

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