Politics & Government

Republican Pat McCrory is in his first full day on the campaign trail for Governor.

Jeff Tiberii: On Tuesday night in a Greensboro suburb just blocks from where he grew up McCrory made the symbolic first step of his Gubernatorial bid:

Pat McCrory: Ladies and Gentlemen I am proud to return back home to officially announce that I will run for Governor because we’re going to fix this broken government and we’re going to fix this broken economy here in North Carolina.

There are new regulations coming for the state's truckers and other commercial drivers. The federal government is setting up a database to be used by the Division of Motor Vehicles in all states. Marge Howell works for North Carolina's DMV.

Marge Howell: Most of our commercial drivers will have to certify the type of driving they do, whether its intrastate or interstate, and they will also be required to provide their DMV with current medical certification information.

The state's first Racial Justice Act hearing will get underway today in Cumberland County.

Later today, a Superior Court judge in Fayetteville will preside over a hearing that will ultimately decide whether to let a death row inmate live. Marcus Robinson is the first prisoner on death row to appeal his sentence under the Racial Justice Act, passed in 2009. If the judge finds racial bias played a role in Robinson’s conviction or sentencing, his sentence could be commuted to life in prison. Robinson’s mother, Shirley Burns, plans to attend the hearing.

Republican Howard Coble is running for re-election to the US House.

Jeff Tiberii: The senior member of North Carolina’s congressional delegation was first elected in 1984. A victory this year would give Coble a 15th term in office. The 80-year-old was asked yesterday if this would be his final re-election campaign.

Howard Coble: I wouldn’t say with finality one way or the other, but give me a little weaseling room if you will. Of course elected officials never ask for weaseling room, do they.