Insurance race relied less on industry

The percentage of money in the campaign for N.C. Commissioner of Insurance that came from industries regulated by that office plummeted from 66 percent in 2004 to 5 percent this year, according to N.C. Voters for Clean Elections.

The figure dropped because both candidates in the commissioner's race chose to accept public financing, a test program in North Carolina in which the candidates receive public funding but must agree to fundraising limits.

Commissioner-elect Wayne Goodwin, a Democrat, received $22,000 from members of industries regulated by the office, such as insurance companies, bail bondsmen and manufactured housing companies. Republican John Odom collected $9,600 from contributors in that category, according to the elections group's report.

Goodwin raised a total of $492,000, while Odom raised $433,000.

By comparison, departing Commissioner Jim Long had no opponent in 2004 but still raised $354,000, two-thirds of which came from regulated industries.

Candidates in lower-tier races have long complained that businesses and groups regulated by their prospective offices are among the few who show interest in their campaigns, so they have no option but to raise money from them.

Perdue transition team

Norma Houston, longtime adviser to Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, is helping Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's transition team plan for the new administration.

Houston, a lawyer and policy wonk who has twice served as Basnight's chief of staff, is helping sort out how Perdue's promised initiatives can be put into place. The governor will have the power to take some of the steps on her own but others will require legislative approval or other more nuanced steps.

Houston also worked as the Dare County attorney but splits her time between her Outer Banks home and Chapel Hill. (The license plate on her convertible: OBX UNC.)

She currently serves as executive director of University of North Carolina Tomorrow, a project aimed at refocusing the university system's resources to better meet state needs.

Her work for Perdue is unpaid, and she said she's not going into the administration. She is committed to working for UNC President Erskine Bowles, she said.

SEANC picks winning lineup

Election Day was a good day for SEANC.

Only 17 of the 121 candidates endorsed by the State Employees Association of North Carolina did not win election -- an 86 percent success rate for the state workers' group.

Big wins included Perdue and Lt. Gov.-elect Walter Dalton, as well as 29 of 32 endorsed Senate races and 67 of 74 House races.

Among the disappointments were state Auditor Les Merritt, a rare Republican to receive the group's backing; Commissioner of Labor candidate Mary Fant Donnan, who had pledged to be more labor-friendly; and Ed Ridpath, a perennial candidate who had hoped to unseat House Republican leader Paul Stam.

State organizer Kevin LeCount said SEANC's political action committee spent about $250,000 on the election, including money for 48,500 mailers and donations of up to $4,000 to legislative candidates.

Still room for Edwards?

Somebody out there still likes John Edwards.

The New York Times, on its Web site, has an interactive feature to let readers cast their votes on Barack Obama's options for some of his cabinet posts.

Edwards is currently the seventh-most popular choice for attorney general. He trails the likes of Chris Dodd and Ron Paul, but is ahead of folks such as Hillary Clinton, Ralph Nader and Eliot Spitzer.