Primary Duels

In both parties, the race for governor is heating up.

On the Democratic side, the slugfest between State Treasurer Richard Moore and Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue turned nasty early on, and the candidates show no sign of letting up. Just today, the Moore campaign criticized Perdue for declining to participate in a debate proposed by a Raleigh television station, while the Perdue campaign continued its weeks-long attack on Moore for his role in approving financing for a controversial theater in Roanoake Rapids. Trail Mix is waiting for the gloves to really come off — that is, whenever the two well-financed candidates start running negative TV ads (this week, they each began running positive spots).

The Republican race, up until this week, has been tame by comparison. But then Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory entered the race. Perhaps his status as the presumptive Republican frontrunner motivated his three opponents (Bob Orr, the jurist; Bill Graham, the insurgent; and Fred Smith, the lawyer/businessman/county commissioner/state legislator, as he’ll often remind you) to get a little more aggressive. In a debate among the four men last night, Smith especially went right after McCrory. At one point, he criticized McCrory for having too much government experience and not enough understanding of “the real world”; then, just minutes later, he offered an alternate attack, saying that McCrory actually does not understand state government. Read full coverage of last night’s debate here.

Both parties will hold a primary election on May 6. The two winners will face off in the general election to replace Gov. Mike Easley, who is barred by constitutional term limits from running for re-election.