The News & Observer's Ryan Teague Beckwith has joined the Roll Call Group as deputy editor of Congress.org.

Beckwith most recently penned N&O's Under the Dome column/blog. The memo from RC's Mike Mills after the jump.

I'm pleased to announce that Ryan Teague Beckwith has joined the Roll Call Group editorial staff, starting today as deputy editor of Congress.org. Ryan comes to us from a very successful stint as the top political blogger for the Raleigh News & Observer, covering the North Carolina state house. The blog he launched, called Under the Dome, is among the most successful of its type anywhere in the nation.

Leroy Towns, a journalism professor with the University of North Carolina, had these nice words to say today in a farewell posting about Ryan:

"Ryan Teague Beckwith, the driving force behind the N&O's Under the Dome column/blog, is leaving to join the Roll Call organization in Washington, DC. Those of us in North Carolina who need and want political and state government news will miss the big daily fix he provided over the last two years.

..it was Beckwith who provided a distinct flavor to the blog without
letting his own personality get in the way of delivering up-to-date and interesting political news. Dome readers know that it was not unusual to see Beckwith posting updates over long hours. If he wasn't a 24/7 presence, it was close. On his busiest day, May 6-7, 2008, Beckwith and interns posted 83 news items. In just over two years as of Friday, Dome had 9,735 posts. That is a lot of state political news that probably would not have existed without Dome.

..Dome is one of the most popular blogs at the N&O, sometimes even edging out sports. When political news becomes as interesting to readers as sports news, you know its successful.

In DC, Beckwith will be deputy editor of Congress.org, part of the Roll Call group. Its specialty is covering Congress and the Federal government. Beckwith will be missed in North Carolina. He is one of a new group of pioneering young reporters and editors who is reinventing the way news is reported and presented."

We couldn't agree more. Ryan will be located on the first floor, in the office next to George Cahlink.

Please join me in welcoming Ryan to the team.

Mike