NC Democratic guv candidates in voter-rich Robeson

LUMBERTON, N.C. — As their primary campaign for governor heads toward its finish, Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue are trying to energize supporters and win over undecided voters at a Democratic Party rally in Robeson County.

Three hundred people ate barbecue and heard speeches from Perdue and Moore, who worked the crowd at the Robeson County fairgrounds. The event was far away from the state's major media markets, where television commercials and debates that have defined this expensive race.

The state's primary election is Tuesday.

The campaigns of Moore, the state treasurer, and Perdue, the lieutenant governor, spent more than $12 million in the first 3 1/2 months of this year, according to campaign finance reports released this week.

"This is retail politics," Perdue said as she shook hands with supporters and held babies while people took her picture inside a fair building where patrons ate on picnic tables covered with cloths in patriotic colors.

Robeson County, a Democratic stronghold known for its high primary turnout and extensive get-out-the-vote efforts, continues to be a big player in statewide electoral politics even though it sits outside the highly populated Piedmont.

"We invented hauling (people) to the polls," quipped Phillip Culbreth, 57, a land surveyor from Lumberton and a Perdue supporter.

Moore, the state treasurer, gave a pep talk to volunteers who will work the polls on his behalf in Robeson, located south of Fayetteville.

A poll this week showed Moore behind Perdue in the race for governor. But Moore said in an interview that there were plenty of undecided voters — 20 percent in a Mason-Dixon survey — still who had yet to make up their minds.

"I'm very proud of both the message and the progress of our campaign," Moore said. "We're right where we need to be to win this thing."

Her voice hoarse from a week on the road at rallies and speaking events, Perdue revved up the crowd leading some cheers and gave an abbreviated stump speech. She highlighted her decision last month to stop running commercials critical of Moore.

"You want this positive campaign that I'm running that's about building people up and not tearing people down," Perdue said. "Together we can build a North Carolina that works for everyone."

Moore followed on the podium, insisting that he has a record of supporting working families in part by pushing for passage of a minimum wage increase in 2006.

The two candidates have been touting relatively similar platforms on affordable higher education and health care for children. But Moore suggested again that Perdue had been a latecomer on initiatives he's been pushing for months, such as property tax relief for older adults.

"People are tired of promises. Talk is cheap, particularly at election time," Moore said. "That's why you've got to take your time and look at people's records."

Moore has been criticized by some Democratic Party leaders — including former Gov. Jim Hunt — for commercials in recent weeks that raised questions about Perdue's civil rights record while a member of the General Assembly.

Perdue said that people know that her entire body of work as an elected official is strong on protecting black citizens and that Moore is picking at a few voters among thousands that she has cast.

Sandy Waterkotte, a Moore supporter, said she wishes that both candidates could be a little more positive all the time but believes people's records are fair game.

"If that's what it takes to make people pay attention, then I'm all for that," said Waterkotte, 61, an administrator at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Several candidates or surrogates for statewide and local offices also spoke at the event, including representatives for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

___