Perdue, McCrory begin post-primary race

RALEIGH, N.C. — A day after a record-setting number of North Carolina voters cast ballots in a primary election, the winners in the governor's race wasted no time getting back to campaigning.

The general election, after all, is just six months away.

"I'm pleased to announce the Republican Party is now united," said Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, who visited with reporters at a news conference in Raleigh with vanquished GOP foes Fred Smith and Bob Orr.

The winner of the Democratic governor's nomination, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, held her own event with outgoing Gov. Mike Easley, who is barred from seeking a third consecutive term. She predicted a fall campaign focused on linking education with the economy and other "kitchen table issues" important to voters.

"This race is going to be decided by which candidate is the best for the middle class of North Carolina," said Perdue, seeking to become North Carolina's first female chief executive. "And I'm telling you that I am that candidate."

As they turn their attention to the general election, there are signs Perdue and McCrory will be competing to win over a record number of voters in November. More than 2.1 million people cast ballots in Tuesday's primary, a turnout that could exceed 38 percent once all provisional ballots are counted. The next highest in recent history is 1988's 31 percent, state elections officials said.

About 50 percent of Democratic registrants voted in the primary, compared with 23 percent for Republicans. Bartlett said new voter registrations and what are expected to be close elections both for president and governor could give North Carolina a chance to again break turnout records.

"I think that we have the opportunity to make history, and I hope that happens." Bartlett said.

McCrory won the five-man GOP primary with 46 percent of the vote, leading in most of the counties in the highly populated Piedmont and Republican strongholds in the foothills. He said North Carolina voters are tired of the Democrats holding power and accused the ruling party of acting aloof and becoming distant from the state's citizens.

"We're going to visit the people," McCrory said. "We're going to find out what is exactly happening."

Added Smith, who finished second with 37 percent of the vote: "The citizens of this state are ready for a change in management."

But since 1900, only two Republicans — Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin — have gone on from a primary win to become governor. To become the third, McCrory will have to hold down Perdue's advantage in the predominantly Democratic east and give suburban Republicans who chose Easley in 2004 a good reason to stick with the party, said his chief strategist, Jack Hawke.

"Once they hear him, they get to know him — he wins people all the time," Hawke said.

Perdue beat State Treasurer Richard Moore 56 percent to 40 percent, winning all but eight of the state's 100 counties. That's proof, she said, that she's the better statewide candidate.

"I'm proud of my relationship with urban, suburban and rural counties," Perdue said.

Easley praised Perdue and her legislative career, which included helping then-Gov. Jim Hunt enact his Smart Start early childhood initiative and raising teacher salaries. He also mentioned Perdue's tie-breaking vote in the Senate in 2005 that helped create the North Carolina Education Lottery.

But unlike the GOP, the Democrats still have some healing to do. Easley endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was beaten soundly on Tuesday by Barack Obama in the state's first meaningful presidential primary in 20 years. And missing from Wednesday's event was Moore, who was critiqued by some for commercials questioning Perdue's civil rights record.

"We'll all have a chance to get together," Easley said. "Today is the day to give me a chance to let people know about I support governor-to-be Perdue."

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