Latest dispatches from the campaign trail, October 18, 2012

• National notice. Governing magazine highlights the N.C. Supreme Court race between Paul Newby and Jimmy Ervin in a feature on states with judicial races attracting significant amounts of campaign funding.

• Raking it in. The 11th Congressional District candidates, Democrat Hayden Rogers and Republican Mark Meadows, are neck-and-neck in campaign fundraising, thanks to a surge in activity from Meadows and his supporters.

• Can’t work it in. Voters in the 8th Congressional District are unlikely to see a face-to-face meeting between embattled incumbent Rep. Larry Kissell (D) and his GOP challenger Richard Hudson. Kissell cites scheduling conflicts as a reason he can’t meet Hudson in a debate.

• Meet the voters. State House District 9 candidates Rep. Marian McLawhorn (D) and Republican Brian Brown met Tuesday for a candidates forum in Greenville.

• Let’s go to the tape. The Romney campaign launches an ad in North Carolina and other states featuring comments he made in Wednesday’s debate with Barack Obama.

http://youtu.be/j7mCKnLqVZs