November 12, 2008 - 3:19 pm — Leans Democratic — #2
No doubt Perdue benefitted from the strong showings in her state from other Democrats as McCrory finished strong. Perdue won 50 percent to 47 percent. 

November 7, 2008 - 9:49 am — Leans Democratic — #2
Perdue beat McCrory 50 percent to 47 percent, according to the Courier-Times.

November 3, 2008 - 2:47 pm — Leans Democratic — #2
Perdue leads by a single point in a new Public Policy Polling survey. She is up 49 percent to 48 percent.

A new Research2000 poll shows a larger lead for Perdue, 49 percent to 44 percent.

October 31, 2008 - 12:42 pm — Toss up — #1
Perdue is up 2 points, 45 percent to 43 percent, according to the latest Civitas/TelOpinion poll.

October 30, 2008 - 12:53 pm — Toss up — #1
The latest Associated Press poll of the race, conducted by GfK Repoer, shows McCrory and Perdue dead even. The candidates were each drawing 44 percent of likely voters.

October 27, 2008 - 12:23 pm — Leans Democratic — #2
The latest Rasmussen Reports poll shows McCrory leading by 4 points, 51 percent to 47 percent. The Republican led by the same margin in the previous poll.

October 24, 2008 - 3:27 pm — Leans Democratic — #2
McCrory and Perdue both unveiled new attack ads on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

October 23, 2008 - 12:51 pm — Leans Democratic — #2
A new WSOC-TV poll has the candidates neck and neck. McCrory now leads by 0.6 percent, down from 3.4 percent in the previous poll.

October 22, 2008 - 2:40 pm — Leans Democratic — #2
In the latest SurveyUSA poll of the race, McCrory leads 46 percent to 43 percent, within the margin of error. In the previous poll, released two weeks ago, it was 46 percent to 45 percent McCrory.

October 20, 2008 - 4:29 pm — Leans Democratic — #2

CHANGED TO LEANS DEMOCRAT

While it is true that McCrory has picked up stream in this race it is our contention that the downfall of Elizabeth Dole and the mometum and get out of vote efforts from Barack Obama means it will be an unfair fight for him. This race is now leaning for Perdue. 

October 17, 2008 - 1:11 pm — Toss up — #2
Early voting began on Thursday, and The Associated Press called the race "surprisingly close." "(McCrory) threw a monkey wrench into the governor's race," said longtime state Democratic operative Brad Crone. "There was a general assumption that Perdue had the upper hand ... (but) it is truly up for grabs."

October 15, 2008 - 12:59 pm — Toss up — #2
The Associated Press notes that Perdue has been aggressively campaigning in McCrory's home turf of Charlotte over the last several weeks. Perdue is slated to visit the city three days this week, including the race's last televised debate on Wednesday.

October 14, 2008 - 12:25 pm — Toss up — #2
Following the lead of the Charlotte Observer, The Greensboro News & Record and the Winston-Salem Journal have also endorsed McCrory, The Raleigh Telegram is reporting.

October 10, 2008 - 4:01 pm — Toss up — #2
A new poll by the Civitas Institute shows McCrory leading Perdue 43 percent to 41 percent when undecided voters are asked how they lean, according to WITN. The Republican leads 41 percent to 38 percent when only those voters who initially said they supported a candidate are included.

As she vowed to do, Perdue sat out of Wednesday's gubernatorial debate, allowing McCrory to face off against Libertarian Mike Munger as she sat on the sidelines, according to the Herald Sun.

October 9, 2008 - 12:45 pm — Toss up — #2
McCrory watched Tuesday's presidential debate with vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and a handful of other Republican luminaries at a pizza place, according to the Raleigh Telegram.

October 8, 2008 - 12:42 pm — Toss up — #2
Mathern unveiled his health care plan on Tuesday, The Associated Press reports. He said he would push to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program and allow state residents who lack coverage to buy into the state employees' plan at a progressive price.

October 6, 2008 - 12:51 pm — Toss up — #2

According to the latest Elon University poll, 37 percent support the Republican Party in the gubernatorial race and 33 percent support the Democratic party.

Democrats say they're growing concerned about Perdue, even as Dems' chances in the presidential and senatorial races grow stronger, according to the News & Observer. "I wouldn't say nervous — I'd say a little bit concerned," Charlotte Democrat Tom Chumley said. Perdue has lost her lead in several polls recently.

October 3, 2008 - 11:21 am — Toss up — #2
For the first time, McCrory has taken a slight lead in a Civitas Institute poll, 43 percent to 41 percent, according to WHKP. A large portion of voters, 13 percent, said they are undecided. In the institute's August poll, Perdue led 43 percent to 41 percent.

September 25, 2008 - 12:55 pm — Leans Democratic — #2
Perdue did not participate in Wednesday's gubernatorial debate, according to The Associated Press. The Perdue camp says she declined the invitation because she agreed to five debates. Four have already been held and she's committed to an Oct. 15 debate in Charlotte. Libertarian candidate Mike Munger will take her place.

September 23, 2008 - 8:12 am — Leans Democratic — #3
The latest Elon Poll, conducted Sept. 15-18, shows McCrory now ahead 37 percent to 35 percent, well within the margin of error.

September 22, 2008 - 6:21 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
In a new mailer, the Republican Governors Association is casting Perdue as a political insider, the News & Observer is reporting. "In 1987, gas cost 95 cents a gallon, Dirty Dancing was a box office hit and Bev Perdue began her political career," the mailer says.


At a forum on Friday night, the candidates locked horns on education, according to the News & Observer. Perdue repeated her claim that her opponent will sacrifice public services for the sake of increasing the funding of private school vouchers, and McCrory said Perdue's education record as lieutenant governor and State Board of Education member is weak.

September 19, 2008 - 12:57 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
The focus of the candidates' debate Friday, the fourth of their five planned debates, will be education, according to The Associated Press. Education has been a hot-button issue in the race, with Perdue alleging McCrory would cripple the public school system by using the money for private school vouchers instead and McCrory denying plans to do so.

September 17, 2008 - 6:51 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
McCrory and Perdue spoke a forum about the reformation of state government on Tuesday, according to the News & Observer. They each shared several ideas on how to improve it, which mostly involved increasing transparency and limiting the influence of campaign contributions.

September 16, 2008 - 12:39 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
A Public Policy Polling survey shows Perdue leading McCrory by just a single point, 41 percent to 40 percent, according to GoBlueRidge.net.

September 15, 2008 - 1:04 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
For the first time, a poll shows McCrory with a significant lead over Perdue, according to Real Clear Politics. The Independent Research 2000 poll conducted for DailyKos has McCrory leading 47 percent to 42 percent with a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.

September 12, 2008 - 1:04 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
Nearly a quarter of the funding from the Republican Governors Association for TV ads targeting Perdue is coming from Bob Perry, a home builder from Texas who helped fund the infamous Swift Boat smears against John Kerry in 2004, the News & Observer is reporting.

September 10, 2008 - 3:09 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
Perdue and McCrory traded aggressive words during their debate Tuesday over oil drilling, attack ads and school vouchers, according to The News & Observer.

September 9, 2008 - 11:29 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
A recent poll by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh shows that the race is still close, according to The Raleigh Telegraph. The poll shows McCrory with 43 percent and Perdue with 38 percent. Libertarian Party candidate Michael Munger received 4 percent.

September 9, 2008 - 11:01 am — Leans Democratic — #3
A poll by James Carville's Democracy Corps shows McCrory with a 55 percent favorable rating and Perdue with only 49 percent, according to Real Clear Politics. The McCrory campaign has been touting the poll, which was surveyed 852 likely voters Aug. 20-26.

September 5, 2008 - 11:08 am — Leans Democratic — #3
Perdue was endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business at an event in Greensboro on Wednesday, the Salisbury Post is reporting.

September 4, 2008 - 11:11 am — Leans Democratic — #3
A former State Ethics Commission employee filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court today that may implicate Perdue, according to the News & Observer. The employee was allegedly fired after raising concerns to Perdue about the possible preferential treatment of one of Perdue's aides.

August 26, 2008 - 10:21 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
WWAY News Channel 3 reports that Perdue will skip out on a debate scheduled for Oct. 24. McCrory has hit Perdue for not agreeing to a statewide televised debate.

August 18, 2008 - 2:00 pm — Leans Democratic — #3

McCrory has picked up the endorsement of a small-business advocacy group in his bid to become North Carolina's governor according to the Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area. The North Carolina unit of the National Federation of Independent Business gave its support to McCrory on Friday, citing his record on small-business issues.

August 16, 2008 - 12:44 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
According to a new poll from Rasmussen Reports, Perdue leads McCrory 49 percent to 43 percent.

August 14, 2008 - 9:28 pm — Leans Democratic — #3

The North Carolina News Network is reporting that Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory says an independent Democratic group has forced him to put out his first campaign ad earlier than planned. The Democratic Governors Association formed the political action committee to finance an attack ad against McCrory. The Republican Governors Association did the same thing against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue. McCrory says the Democratic ad is misleading and negative.

August 12, 2008 - 7:18 am — Leans Democratic — #3

Speaking to the North Carolina Farm Bureau, McCrory tried to use the fact he would allow offshore drilling off of the state's coast as a wedge. Perdue didn't mention the issue to the grounp, but the Associated Press notes her opposition to it.

Could this emerge to be an issue the way it has in federal races?

July 31, 2008 - 5:41 pm

The campaign finance group Democracy North Carolina filed a complaint against the Republican Governors Association today saying the RGA violated state law.

The argue that the $380,000 given to the RGA North Carolina 2008 Political Action Committee aimed at helping McCrory was nothing more than a shadow group.

However, the Democratic Governors Association has done essentially the same thing, the Associated Press reports, and has already reserved television time.