NC Gov Race: Two Clear Front-Runners for Dem Nomination

News and Obs article by Rob Christensen.

Doea a nice job of highlighting aspects of the race for Dem nomination for 2008 Governor election.

Exerpt:

The calendar may read 2006, but Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and state Treasurer Richard Moore are behaving as if it were 2008.
That's when both hope to become the Democratic nominee to be North Carolina's next governor.

In recent days, Perdue and Moore have traded elbows over who first pushed for various environmental initiatives and for tax breaks for the working poor. Both have been building political organizations for a primary contest still 17 months away -- from lining up supporters to bringing in hired political guns. Both are already raising money.

Neither Moore nor Perdue, both rising stars in the Democratic Party, has announced his or her candidacy to succeed Gov. Mike Easley, who is not eligible to seek a third term in 2008.

But neither is being coy; both of them clearly would like to lead the nation's 10th largest state. And both say their extensive background in political office in Raleigh has seasoned them for the top job.

"My work in the General Assembly and as lieutenant governor shows that I know how to get things done," Perdue said in an interview this month.

To which Moore counters, "I have something that no one else who is actively considering being governor now has. I have 11 years of executive branch, managerial experience at a very high level."

Many expect a Perdue-Moore primary race to be tough, expensive and potentially divisive. The winner will face one of several Republicans, including state Sen. Fred Smith of Clayton and Salisbury attorney Bill Graham, who are looking to end the 16-year run of Democratic governors in North Carolina.

And, of course, the "winner" will ALSO face a Libertarian candidate, if we get enough signatures to get on the ballot (and we could use your help, on that!). I hope to be that candidate, as I have said, but there may well be other contenders for the LPNC nomination, and that will be up to the party to decide.

(I do have to give Rob Christensen, who is a stand-up guy, credit: He has mentioned my candidacy in another N&O article, and he hardly has to mention it every time, PARTICULARLY unless and until we get enough signatures to get on the ballot. Still, if I may whine: when you say who the Dem candidates "may face," I hope to get to the point where my name, or whoever is the LPNC candidate, is listed in at least "and also" status.)