? Calling herself a “coal miner’s daughter? at the press association meeting in Asheville, Beverly Perdue argues for higher teacher pay and state efforts to build new biotechnology and aerospace industries. She and Pat McCrory continue to disagree on energy policy, with McCrory blaming a ?small power elite in Raleigh? for inaction on a variety of issues.

? The Hill newspaper reports that Elizabeth Dole is casting more votes against the Republican Senate caucus in 2008 than she did last year. Gary Pearce believes that the potential $6 million ad buy from national Democrats to boost Kay Hagan’s fall campaign is not a bluff, and could ?put a big hole in Senator Dole’s boat.? Dole will visit Mars Hill on Saturday. Meanwhile, an ad from the GOP Senatorial Campaign Committee questions Hagan’s record on bipartisanship.