• The North Carolina chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses gave House Speaker Thom Tillis its “Guardian of Small Business” award Wednesday. During acceptance remarks, Tillis noted that he’s involved in a campaign for the U.S. Senate.
• 6th Congressional District Republican contender Mark Walker picked up another high-profile endorsement Wednesday in his bed to defeat Rockingham County District Attorney Phil Berger Jr. in the July 15 primary: Clarence Henderson, chairman of the Martin Luther King Commission and one of the early participants in the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-ins in Greensboro. Earlier this week, Walker was endorsed by the sheriffs of Guilford and Alamance counties.
• 2nd Congressional District Democratic nominee Clay Aiken drew attention earlier this year when he removed several impolitic tweets about Republicans from his Twitter account. Now comes a report that he also deleted a tweet suggesting someone should “punch [conservative pundit] Ann Coulter in the face.”
• State Rep. Bob Brawley, R-Iredell, who aired several grievances against Tillis publicly over the past year, was censured Wednesday by a 52-11 vote of Republican House members. Brawley, who lost his primary election by 105 votes to businessman John Fraley, will remain a member of the majority through the short session but can no longer attend GOP caucus meetings that discuss political strategy and policy matters.
