• For the first time, Democratic firm Public Policy Polling finds Mitt Romney with a lead over Barack Obama in North Carolina. Also of interest (see page 9 of this PDF), Obama’s approval rating among blacks is only 77 percent.
• 9th U.S. Congressional District runoff contender Jim Pendergraph, a Republican, wins the endorsement of former Charlotte Mayor (and gubernatorial candidate) Richard Vinroot.
• The statewide town hall tour by House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, included a security detail, and a tab for taxpayers.
• The Obama campaign launches an ad attacking Mitt Romney’s economic record as governor of Massachusetts.
• The Private Equity Growth Capital Council, a trade group, produces several videos countering attacks by Democrats about the role of private equity companies in the economy. This one features Inmar, a Triad inventory-control company that was bought by a private equity firm … and gets praise from Gov. Bev Perdue (2:20 of video).
http://youtu.be/8x8blQ2TxUs