NC governor's races hit final full week

RALEIGH, N.C. — In the final full week of the primary campaign for governor in North Carolina, Democratic candidates likely will continue to question each other's trustworthiness and experience, while electability versus political conviction will be the issue for Republicans.

And the prickly issue of race is likely to simmer in the days leading up to May 6.

On the Democratic side, State Treasurer Richard Moore aims to keep picking at Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's legislative record. Moore argues that her votes on bedrock party issues such as abortion, gun control and civil rights don't match up with her words during the campaign.

"We're going to keep talking about our records, and we're going to keep it factual," Moore said recently. "You say you're for it now, but how come you didn't vote that way?"

Perdue dismisses Moore's television ads and rolls out a list of accomplishments in education, health care and the environment while a lawmaker and the No. 2 executive in state government.

"I was in the General Assembly for years and had thousands and thousands of votes." Perdue said in their TV debate last week. "You can nitpick one or two votes or 10 or 15 votes."

Likability, and not resumes, will go a long way in the final days of the campaign as undecideds choose between Moore and Perdue, said Rep. Dan Blue, D-Wake, who hasn't endorsed a candidate.

"A lot of it is so personal because the differences that the candidates take on their positions on the issues don't really differ considerably," said Blue, a former House speaker and 2002 U.S. Senate candidate. "If he or she seems truthful enough, I think that that's where the voters are going to go."

In the Republican race, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory will work to try and win outright in the five-way race by getting more than 40 percent of the vote. But state Sen. Fred Smith thinks he can, too. A June 24 runoff is, at a minimum, possible.

"I don't want to be denigrating anyone, but it appears at this point it's a two-man race," said Jack Hawke, McCrory's chief strategist.

McCrory portrays himself in television ads as someone who can relate to inactivity by state government on road congestion, immigration and taxes. He believes he can attract Democratic and independents to help the GOP win the governor's mansion for the first time in 20 years.

Smith held a 100-county barbecue tour, building a foundation with party activists across the state as a social and fiscal conservative. He's questioned McCrory's GOP credentials, accusing him of excessive government spending and costs overruns for Charlotte's light rail system.

Smith's personal fortune means he'll be on television in the final days, as should another Republican, Salisbury attorney Bill Graham. Former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr also is working toward a competitive finish.

And who knows what will happen? Unpredictability is a common phrase this year in North Carolina campaign war rooms because the state races are happening on the same day as the North Carolina presidential primary.

Both Moore and Perdue have both endorsed Barack Obama, whose race against Hillary Rodham Clinton has crowded out their highly anticipated Democratic gubernatorial race.

"The real story in this race is how it's been overwhelmed by the presidential race," said Gary Pearce, a veteran Democratic consultant, adding that there's been "double the voters but half the attention."

The increased interest among black voters in the presidential race — who also will vote in other races — also makes Moore's attempts to blemish Perdue's civil rights record, and Perdue's response, all the more important.

Moore unveiled a television ad criticizing Perdue for being one of only two Democrats in 1987 to vote against a House bill allowing the State Bureau of Investigation more flexibility in investigating hate groups. Perdue characterized it as a "misvote."

Then his campaign accused Perdue of "gutting" a 1989 election bill that would have lowered the percentage of votes a candidate must receive to avoid a runoff and help more black candidates get elected.

His campaign showed reporters hats emblazoned with the Confederate flag that Moore campaign manager Jay Reiff said was purchased at a Georgia store owned by Perdue's husband. Perdue used to be an officer in her husband's corporation.

Perdue said she and her husband are not involved in the store's daily operations.

She rolled out a letter signed by 14 black politicians praising her civil rights record and a TV ad by Rep. Alma Adams, head of the Legislative Black Caucus.

"Richard Moore's outrageous negative attacks are not valid," Adams said.

Blue, who is black and sponsored the 1987 House bill, said a candidate's record is fair game in a campaign. But he's concerned that the back-and-forth on race could sour voters: "I hope we don't spend the next (week) ... engaging in surface discussions about race."

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