North Carolina Democrats are lobbying to make the state one of the first presidential primary contests in 2028, arguing the state reflects the rest of the U.S., given its growing and diverse population.

Why it matters: If selected, North Carolina could hold a large influence over which candidate ultimately secures the nomination. It could also attract tens of millions of dollars of investments into statewide campaigns.

Driving the news: North Carolina is one of 12 states allowed to bid to be one of the first primary states in 2028.

• Anderson Clayton, chair of the N.C. Democratic Party, said she will make the official pitch to the Democratic National Committee in the coming weeks. She wants North Carolina to go first in the nation, as Iowa traditionally did for decades.

Zoom in: Clayton told the DNC for North Carolina that the state can be the best stress test for a future presidential nominee.

• The state's diverse population, with sizable Black and Hispanic populations, as well as both a rural voting bloc and an increasingly urban one, makes the state more representative of the nation as a whole.
• "I don't have anything against Iowa and New Hampshire," Clayton told Axios. "I just think that the Democratic Party has got to get smart about where the future of it lies. And, to me, that is the South, and the South has been the least invested in by the National Party over the last 20 years."

Yes, but: In North Carolina, unlike many of its competing states, Democrats will need the help of Republicans to win a spot before Super Tuesday. Other southern states like Georgia and Tennessee would also need state legislative approval, NBC News reported.

• That's because the state legislature would need to approve changing primary dates. Clayton said that she will likely need a commitment from the legislature by May if the state has a chance to move its primary up.
• Clayton said her pitch to Republicans is a financial one. Communities throughout the state, she said, would benefit from an influx of campaign and media attention, like Des Moines, Iowa, has in the past.

Between the lines: The Republican-led legislature is likely to only do that if it benefits Republicans to move their primary up in the state. They are also not likely to give the state Democratic Party any wins, either.

What they're saying: "The topic has not been seriously discussed at the legislature or with any Democratic Party officials," said Demi Dowdy, a spokesperson for House Speaker Destin Hall.

• A spokesperson for Senate leader Phil Berger did not respond to a request for comment.

What's next: North Carolina Democrats will present their case to the DNC in May.

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Construction has begun on an Omni Hotel in downtown Raleigh, one of the biggest projects to kick off this year in the Triangle.

Why it matters: The 600-room hotel has been billed as a key element of Raleigh's effort to grow its convention center business.

• The city has long said that its convention center needs more hotels to attract large events, and the Omni will be built just blocks from where the Raleigh Convention Center is being expanded.

Zoom in: The goal is for the hotel to open sometime in 2028 along Raleigh's Fayetteville Street.

• The Omni is being built on a former city-owned parking lot in front of the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.
• Raleigh and Wake County's interlocal fund, which uses money from hotel and food and beverage taxes, will contribute $75 million toward the hotel project.

Details: The hotel will have a rooftop pool, two ballrooms and more than 60,000 square feet of meeting space meant to complement the convention center.

• Additionally, there would be three stories of parking, and space for a restaurant, cafe and sports bar facing Fayetteville Street.

🤧 A warm-up in temperatures this week is triggering elevated pollen levels in trees. (WRAL)

🏢 A plan for new affordable housing near Raleigh's Moore Square has been scrapped for now. (INDY Week)

🚧 A limit on downzoning land in a Hurricane Helene relief bill from last year is making it harder for municipalities to regulate data center construction. (News & Observer)

One of the fastest-growing businesses in the Triangle at the moment is a Korean bakery inspired by French culinary traditions.

Why it matters: In a matter of months, the bakery and cafe Tous les Jours has gone from zero locations in the Triangle to soon to be four.

Driving the news: The bakery has spots in downtown Raleigh's Seaboard Station district, Cary, Holly Springs, and soon, on Durham's Ninth Street.

• The company has also added four locations in the Charlotte area.

Zoom in: The bakery is known for combining staples of French baking with Korean ingredients, like a kimchi croquette.

• Tous les Jours offers more than 300 items, ranging from classic croissants and cakes to guava-flavored danishes and coffee and tea.
• Founded in South Korea in 1997, the bakery is currently on a massive expansion spree in the U.S., with more than 100 locations now open.
• The goal, the company's CEO said last year, is to open more than 200 locations in the U.S.