Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign became the first in North Carolina to announce a leadership team, another sign that the state's May 8 primary may matter in the contests for the Republican presidential nomination.
Tom Fetzer, a lobbyist and former state party chairman, will serve as chairman for Gingrich's campaign in the Tar Heel state. Kiernan Shanahan, a Raleigh attorney and former state party finance director, will take the finance director role. Karen Rotterman, a Raleigh consultant who helped elect former Gov. Jim Martin and President George W. Bush, will tackle the political strategy. Fetzer and Shanahan are serving as volunteers while Rotterman is a paid consultant.
In a recent meeting in Washington, Shanahan said the Gingrich campaign mapped at least one scenario where North Carolina delegates will matter. "There is a scenario not unlike Obama and Clinton in 2008," Shanahan said, referring to the protracted Democratic nomination process in 2008.
North Carolina often plays second fiddle to its neighbor South Carolina, which hosts the "first in the South" primary every four years. It's unclear whether other campaigns - particularly Mitt Romney's - also will lay the groundwork in the state.
"I think North Carolina's days being ignored by both parties in the presidential primaries are over," Fetzer said. "This is a battleground state."
State can't track its cars
How many cars does the state of North Carolina own? If you pegged it near 30,000, your estimate is as good as the state's guess. "The state does not know the number of vehicle it owns," Pamela Taylor told state lawmakers Wednesday.
Taylor's report for the Program Evaluation Oversight Committee revealed the state does not keep adequate track of its vehicles and license plates or the costs associated with maintaining the fleet.
State agencies and institutions reported owning 28,669 vehicles worth about $183 million, but a comparison with a vehicle registration database found 2,346 discrepancies.
Burr works with Democrats
U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., joined Sens. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa; Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.; and Bob Casey, D-Pa., to introduce a bill intended to protect the nation from a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack. The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization of 2011 strengthens efforts made by a similar bill passed in 2006. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., is a co-sponsor.
"The threats facing our nation are serious, and we must address them accordingly," Burr said. "The American people expect us to do all that we can to prevent an attack and, if one should occur, be fully prepared to respond."
Burr said the new legislation strengthens national preparedness to medical and public health emergencies and disasters. The bill also reauthorizes certain medical and public health programs, including the Strategic National Stockpile and the BioShield Special Reserve Fund.
