What's behind outside millions in N.C. races?

Outside money is pouring into North Carolina's races.

Andy Taylor, a political science professor at N.C. State University, offers several reasons why third-party groups are spending millions attacking Republican gubernatorial nominee Pat McCrory and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

* Close races: Polls in both the Senate and gubernatorial races are closer than expected, giving national groups hope that they can influence the outcome with a well-timed ad.

* Stand by your ad: A 2002 campaign law requires candidates to personally approve their ads, but outside groups can run harsh attacks without a backlash.

* Contribution limits: State and federal laws limit the amount donors can give directly to candidates, so some give to third-party groups to further their efforts.

Taylor says the increasing influence of third-party ads means candidates have less control over their message, but they gain "plausible deniability" on attacks.

"You lose control, which is problematic," he said. "But at the same time, the hits can come in, and they're at more than arm's length."

Edwards perfectly low

No one had ever received a perfect score on Newsweek's "Dignity Index," which measures "just how low a person can go."

Until now.

North Carolina's John Edwards is the first person to score a perfect 100 on the Dignity Index. The magazine said Edwards "outclassed the competition by cheating on his wife, who has cancer, and then lying about it during the campaign. Ouch!"

GOP wants Perdue data

The N.C. Republican Party wants to see what public records exist that might link Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue to two campaign contributors involved in a corruption case.

Party officials said Tuesday that they're filing a request for public records from Perdue's office. Among other things, they're looking for communication between the office and four individuals, including Barry Lee Green and Ricky Wright.

The two campaign contributors were investors in an ethanol company that is at the center of a bribery scheme. Boyce Allen Hudson, a former state official, has said he made a deal with the ethanol company in which he would help with the environmental permitting process in exchange for $100,000 cash and a consulting contract worth almost $100,000.

Hudson was sentenced last week to three years in federal prison. Republicans said they want records related to him, too.

Perdue is the Democratic nominee for North Carolina governor. Last week, her campaign returned two contributions from Green and Wright. Green and Wright have not been accused of wrongdoing.

Bob Dole lauds wife

Bob Dole says he knows what makes an effective senator.

At the opening of Republican presidential candidate John McCain's headquarters in Raleigh Monday, the former Senate majority leader responded to a TV ad attacking his wife, Elizabeth Dole.

The ad by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee cites a ranking by the congressional data service Knowlegis that found Elizabeth Dole the 93rd least effective senator.

"I can't understand why the Democrats are saying in these ads that she's ineffective, but still she's their No. 1 target and they're going to spend $8 million here trying to eliminate her," he told the crowd. "If you're not effective, why waste your money?"

Later, Dole told a group of reporters that he sees his wife's effectiveness up close.

"I've seen hundreds of senators come and go," he said. "In both parties, I've seen good senators and I know how they work. You have a work horse and a show horse, and Elizabeth's in the workhorse category."

Dole campaigned for his wife Tuesday in Smithfield, where he visited a diner, Town Hall, a tobacco warehouse and two banks.