The oil industry is targeting North Carolina voters as part of a campaign to fight efforts in Congress to repeal some of its tax breaks.

The American Petroleum Institute announced a campaign last week to convince voters that higher taxes on the industry could lead to higher gas prices. The campaign calls it “another bad idea from Washington,” particularly hitting President Barack Obama and North Carolina U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat.

As part of the campaign, the industry took a full-page advertisement in The Charlotte Observer and a radio advertisement.

News reports indicate the U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the oil tax breaks Monday and it’s unclear if Democrats have the votes to repeal the incentives, which are destined for renewable energy tax credits.

Marriage amendment opponents’ drive nears $1 million mark

The group organizing the opposition to the marriage amendment will launch today a big fundraising push aimed at shoring up support in North Carolina as well as attracting national donors. Protect All NC Families says it has almost hit its initial $1 million goal – having raised more than $950,000.

The week-long campaign kicking off today will largely take place online. The group has received big donations from the national gay-advocacy Human Rights Campaign and other groups, as well as an extensive number of small contributions from individuals.

Last week another national organization, Freedom to Marry, kicked off a $3 million fundraising campaign to fight same-sex marriage battles in several states, the New York Times reported Saturday. The first donation was $250,000 from North Carolina native Chris Hughes, one of Facebook’s founders, and his fiancé. Hughes wrote a letter opposing North Carolina’s amendment back in September.

‘Corporations are Not People’ author to talk

A leading advocate for a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United campaign finance decision will speak Monday at William Peace University.

Jeffrey Clements, the author of “Corporations are Not People,” will give an address at 7 p.m. in the Jones Lecture Hall. Common Cause North Carolina and the university’s law school are hosting the talk.

Clements writes on his blog that North Carolina Congressmen Walter Jones, a Republican, and David Price, a Democrat, are supporters of the effort to nullify the U.S. Supreme Court ruling and abolish so-called super PACs.

Rouzer debuts TV ad in GOP primary

Republican David Rouzer sticks to a tried-and-true formula for his first television ad in his congressional campaign: attack President Barack Obama.

Rouzer, a state senator running in the 7th Congressional District, is airing the ad in the Wilmington TV market, his campaign said. His aides called it a “strong buy” but refused to release any details, making it difficult to gauge the ad’s effectiveness.

The ad starts with a picture of the president, saying “Barack Obama’s liberal compass has left our country adrift.” It then cuts to Rouzer talking about his record as a state lawmaker.

Rouzer faces two Republican candidates in the May 8 primary, including Ilario Pantano, the 2010 GOP nominee. The winner will face U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre for a district that includes Johnston County, which is in the Raleigh media market.

Does the Democratic convention in Charlotte matter?

Comedy Central TV channel’s political bloggers came to this conclusion about the Democratic convention: “Why even go to the trouble? Everybody already knows that Obama is going to be the nominee, so why bother announcing it? Shouldn’t Obama be working on other (stuff) right now instead of having a big party in Charlotte?”

So in good humor, the channel’s Indecision blog identified a dozen reasons to care about the Democratic convention.

Highlights include:

1. Three words: Baldwin Brothers Reunion!

2. Noticing how gay rights activists and Obama passive-aggressively avoid making eye contact

3. Watching cops arrest protesters in suits and ties, instead of a bunch of nice hipster kids (for a change!).

4. An Obama speech that ends with the line “DUNZO!”

5. So much pork has been ordered that if we cancel the convention the price of pork futures will plummet, further slowing economic recovery

6. Day trip to the Outer Banks, y’all!

7. Speaking of Outer Banks… Jesse Ventura might show up and try to solve the mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke!

Staff writers John Frank and Craig Jarvis

jfrank@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4698