North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2008
Encyclopedia
The North Carolina gubernatorial election of 2008 was held on November 4, 2008, coinciding with the presidential, U.S. Senate
, U.S. House elections
, Council of State, and statewide judicial elections
. Democrat Bev Perdue
won the election.
Because incumbent Governor Mike Easley
was term-limited
, the open-seat race was contested between Democrat Beverly Perdue, Republican Pat McCrory, and Libertarian Michael Munger
. Likewise, Democrat Walter H. Dalton
, Republican Robert Pittenger
and Libertarian Phillip Rhodes vied to replace term-limited Lt. Governor Perdue. For details on that election, see North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2008.
The statewide syndicated TV program, NC Spin, held debates for both parties' candidates in April.
, which was broadcast on several stations across the state on April 22.
On May 6, 2008, Perdue won the Democratic nomination for Governor, defeating State Treasurer Moore and Nielsen.
poll had McCrory leading both major Democratic candidates by three points each.
The Raleigh News & Observer reported on January 9, 2008 that McCrory had filed the necessary paperwork with the State Board of Elections to run for Governor. He announced that he was running in his hometown of Jamestown on January 15, 2008.
. The two Democratic candidates held their first debate at the annual conference of the N.C. School Boards Association on Nov. 6, 2007, which hosted a Republican candidates' debate the same day.
UNC-TV
invited the three announced Republican candidates and two announced Democratic candidates to participate in the campaign's first debates (officially called "forums") to air on statewide television. Each forum is intended to focus on a single topic: on Jan. 10, the state's economy; on Feb. 7, health care; and on April 24, education. Video of the forums is available on the UNC-TV website.
The Republican candidates, now joined by new challenger Pat McCrory, debated on WRAL-TV
on January 17. The debate was also broadcast on stations in Charlotte and Wilmington.
McCrory, Orr, Graham, and Smith met in a televised debate held by WTVI
in Charlotte on April 3. Media accounts said that McCrory was the primary target of attacks by his rivals. The same was true at another WRAL-TV
debate, held on April 15.
The final Republican debate before the primary was held in Asheville, and featured the only appearance by Elbie Powers in a debate.
If he had been elected, McCrory would have been the first mayor of Charlotte to win the state's highest office.
as the Democratic presidential candidate. Perdue and McCrory remained close, with the two often polling in a statistical tie in what was the closest race for governor in the nation. Perdue ran slightly behind her opponent in polls released the week before the election. Pundits speculated that Perdue was hurt by current Democratic Governor Mike Easley
's decreasing popularity and McCrory's efforts to tag her as part of corruption in Raleigh
-- consultants mentioned Perdue's "difficulty of being the candidate of continuity in a change election."
, sued the state unsuccessfully over the ballot access rules. Munger appeared as one of two keynote speakers at the national Libertarian convention in Denver in May 2008.
When Hillary Clinton dropped out of the 2008 presidential election The New York Times
mentioned Perdue as a potential pick for Obama's Vice President.
Munger called himself "the only liberal in the race." Munger took more socially liberal
positions on many issues than Democratic candidate Perdue. "One reason I haven't been allowed in all the debates is that I'm taking votes from the Democrats. Sixty percent of my supporters are voting for Obama. I'll talk about gay marriage, and Perdue isn't, or doesn't want to." While Democratic candidate Perdue took a hard line on illegal immigration
similar to that of Republican Pat McCrory, Munger took a position more aligned with Barack Obama
.
Perdue raised $15 million and ran attack ads against McCrory, criticizing him for not being tough enough on illegal immigration
.
In October 2008, McCrory received the endorsement of most major newspapers in the state, which typically endorse Democrats. McCrory's candidacy for governor was endorsed by the Raleigh News and Observer, the Charlotte Observer, the Greensboro News & Record
, the Winston-Salem Journal
, and the UNC-Chapel Hill Daily Tar Heel.
Perdue received the endorsement of actor and director Andy Griffith
, who filmed a campaign ad on her behalf.
Perdue defeated McCrory and Munger on November 4, 2008 to win the election.
on June 21. The first debate between the two that was televised live was conducted by WTVD
on August 19. Another televised debate was held by WRAL-TV
on September 9. Next, McCrory and Perdue met for a debate on education issues at SAS Institute
on September 19. The debate was sponsored by business and education groups and was covered by News 14 Carolina
.
Duke University
professor and Libertarian candidate Michael Munger
made history as the first third-party candidate to participate in a live, televised gubernatorial debate in North Carolina. He made his first debate appearance with McCrory on September 24 at UNC-TV
. Perdue declined to participate in that debate. All three candidates debated for the first time on October 15, in the final debate before the general election. The hour-long debate, sponsored by WTVI
, WSOC-TV
and the League of Women Voters
, aired in several television markets.
Analysts said that McCrory tended to perform better than Perdue in the debates, particularly in "sit-down debates that allowed more back-and-forth between the candidates."
Primaries
United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 4, 2008. The Senate election coincided with the presidential, U.S. House elections, gubernatorial, Council of State, and statewide judicial elections. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole ran for re-election...
, U.S. House elections
United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2008
The United States House of Representative elections of 2008 in North Carolina were held on 4 November 2008 as part of the biennial election to the United States House of Representatives. All thirteen seats in North Carolina, and 435 nation-wide, were elected to the 111th United States Congress...
, Council of State, and statewide judicial elections
North Carolina judicial elections, 2008
One justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and six judges of the North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected to eight-year terms by North Carolina voters on November 4, 2008. This coincided with the presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, gubernatorial, and Council of State elections.North...
. Democrat Bev Perdue
Bev Perdue
Beverly Eaves "Bev" Perdue is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party currently serving as the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina. She is the first female governor of North Carolina....
won the election.
Because incumbent Governor Mike Easley
Mike Easley
Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...
was term-limited
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
, the open-seat race was contested between Democrat Beverly Perdue, Republican Pat McCrory, and Libertarian Michael Munger
Michael Munger
Michael Curtis Munger is an economist, chair of the political science department at Duke University, and was the Libertarian candidate for Governor of North Carolina in 2008....
. Likewise, Democrat Walter H. Dalton
Walter H. Dalton
Walter H. Dalton is a Democratic politician from North Carolina and the state's current Lieutenant Governor. Prior to his election to that office, he was a member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's forty-sixth Senate district, including constituents in Cleveland and...
, Republican Robert Pittenger
Robert Pittenger
Robert Pittenger is an American politician. He is a former member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's thirty-ninth Senate district, including constituents in Mecklenburg County. He is a member of the Republican Party....
and Libertarian Phillip Rhodes vied to replace term-limited Lt. Governor Perdue. For details on that election, see North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2008.
Dates
- May 6, 2008 - Primary elections.
- Oct. 10, 2008 - Last day to register to vote in general election.
- Oct. 16 - Nov. 1, 2008 - "One Stop" registration and early voting
- November 4, 2008 - General election.
Primaries
Candidates Richard Moore, Dennis Nielsen, Robert Orr, and Bev Perdue took part in a forum on January 26, sponsored by the state chapter of the NAACP.The statewide syndicated TV program, NC Spin, held debates for both parties' candidates in April.
Candidates
- Richard H. MooreRichard H. MooreRichard Hancock Moore was the North Carolina State Treasurer from 2001–2009. He first elected to that post in 2000 and re-elected in 2004.-Career:...
, State TreasurerNorth Carolina State TreasurerThe North Carolina State Treasurer is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina responsible for overseeing the financial operations of state government. The current state treasurer is Janet Cowell.... - Dennis NielsenDennis NielsenDennis Nielsen is a retired United States Air Force Colonel and was a Democratic candidate for Governor of North Carolina in 2008. Nielsen was part of the rescue effort of the United Airlines Flight 232 crash in Sioux City, Iowa in 1989....
, Retired USAF Colonel - Beverly Perdue, Lieutenant Governor of North CarolinaLieutenant Governor of North CarolinaThe Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina is the second highest elected official in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is the only elected official to have powers in both the legislative and executive branches of state government...
Campaign
Moore and Nielsen appeared on the edition of NC Spin broadcast April 13 on most stations, but Perdue declined the invitation to participate. Perdue and Moore met for their final pre-primary debate at WRAL-TVWRAL-TV
WRAL-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Raleigh, North Carolina. WRAL-TV has been the flagship station of Capitol Broadcasting Company since its inception, and is currently the CBS affiliate for the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Fayetteville area, known collectively as the Triangle...
, which was broadcast on several stations across the state on April 22.
On May 6, 2008, Perdue won the Democratic nomination for Governor, defeating State Treasurer Moore and Nielsen.
Results
Candidates
- Bill Graham, SalisburySalisbury, North CarolinaSalisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
attorney and head of conservative group - Pat McCroryPatrick McCroryPatrick Lloyd "Pat" McCrory is an American politician and businessman. He was the 53rd Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina serving a record seven terms from 1995 to 2009...
, Mayor of Charlotte (re-elected in 2007Charlotte mayoral election, 2007The biennial Charlotte mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007. Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican, was re-elected to a seventh term.-Hot button issues:*Light rail: It is becoming a source of great controversy....
) - Robert F. OrrRobert F. OrrRobert F. Orr is an American lawyer, formerly an Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.Orr was born in Norfolk, Virginia and spent his childhood in Hendersonville, North Carolina. After earning his bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Orr served...
, former state Supreme CourtNorth Carolina Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of North Carolina is the state's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists of six associate justices and one chief justice, although the number of justices...
Associate Justice - Elbie Powers, farmer, crop duster, vice president of NC Pecan Growers Association
- Fred SmithFred Smith (politician)Fred Smith is a North Carolina politician who served in the North Carolina Senate and ran for Governor of North Carolina in 2008.-Early life and education:...
, NC state senator
Campaign
McCrory reportedly commissioned a poll to test the waters for a run for Governor in November 2007, shortly after his re-election victory, but well after other Republican gubernatorial candidates began campaigning. A 2007 Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports
Rasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
poll had McCrory leading both major Democratic candidates by three points each.
The Raleigh News & Observer reported on January 9, 2008 that McCrory had filed the necessary paperwork with the State Board of Elections to run for Governor. He announced that he was running in his hometown of Jamestown on January 15, 2008.
Debates
Republican candidates Graham, Orr, and Smith held their first debate on October 20, 2007 at High Point UniversityHigh Point University
High Point University is a private liberal arts university in High Point, North Carolina, USA, affiliated with the United Methodist Church.- Beginnings :...
. The two Democratic candidates held their first debate at the annual conference of the N.C. School Boards Association on Nov. 6, 2007, which hosted a Republican candidates' debate the same day.
UNC-TV
UNC-TV
University of North Carolina Television, known on-air as UNC-TV, is a public television network in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is operated by the University of North Carolina, with studios located at the UNC Center for Public Television at Research Triangle Park...
invited the three announced Republican candidates and two announced Democratic candidates to participate in the campaign's first debates (officially called "forums") to air on statewide television. Each forum is intended to focus on a single topic: on Jan. 10, the state's economy; on Feb. 7, health care; and on April 24, education. Video of the forums is available on the UNC-TV website.
The Republican candidates, now joined by new challenger Pat McCrory, debated on WRAL-TV
WRAL-TV
WRAL-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Raleigh, North Carolina. WRAL-TV has been the flagship station of Capitol Broadcasting Company since its inception, and is currently the CBS affiliate for the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Fayetteville area, known collectively as the Triangle...
on January 17. The debate was also broadcast on stations in Charlotte and Wilmington.
McCrory, Orr, Graham, and Smith met in a televised debate held by WTVI
WTVI
WTVI is a Public Broadcasting Service member public television station based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station broadcasts on digital channel 11 . It is the only public television station in North Carolina that is not operated by UNC-TV, and one of three serving Charlotte...
in Charlotte on April 3. Media accounts said that McCrory was the primary target of attacks by his rivals. The same was true at another WRAL-TV
WRAL-TV
WRAL-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Raleigh, North Carolina. WRAL-TV has been the flagship station of Capitol Broadcasting Company since its inception, and is currently the CBS affiliate for the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Fayetteville area, known collectively as the Triangle...
debate, held on April 15.
The final Republican debate before the primary was held in Asheville, and featured the only appearance by Elbie Powers in a debate.
Results
Candidates
- Pat McCrory (RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) - Michael MungerMichael MungerMichael Curtis Munger is an economist, chair of the political science department at Duke University, and was the Libertarian candidate for Governor of North Carolina in 2008....
(LibertarianLibertarian Party (United States)The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
) - Beverly Perdue (DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
)
If he had been elected, McCrory would have been the first mayor of Charlotte to win the state's highest office.
Polling
Despite a "national Democratic tide" and Perdue's fundraising edge, McCrory led Perdue at first; Perdue slowly gained with help from Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
as the Democratic presidential candidate. Perdue and McCrory remained close, with the two often polling in a statistical tie in what was the closest race for governor in the nation. Perdue ran slightly behind her opponent in polls released the week before the election. Pundits speculated that Perdue was hurt by current Democratic Governor Mike Easley
Mike Easley
Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...
's decreasing popularity and McCrory's efforts to tag her as part of corruption in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
-- consultants mentioned Perdue's "difficulty of being the candidate of continuity in a change election."
Campaign
Early in 2008, Libertarian nominee Munger called Perdue a "Stepford Wife" and said the Republican nominees were "circus clowns." Prior to May 2008, the North Carolina Libertarian Party and Munger gathered 100,000 signatures of voters in order to qualify to appear on North Carolina's ballot. They, along with the Green PartyGreen Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
, sued the state unsuccessfully over the ballot access rules. Munger appeared as one of two keynote speakers at the national Libertarian convention in Denver in May 2008.
When Hillary Clinton dropped out of the 2008 presidential election The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
mentioned Perdue as a potential pick for Obama's Vice President.
Munger called himself "the only liberal in the race." Munger took more socially liberal
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
positions on many issues than Democratic candidate Perdue. "One reason I haven't been allowed in all the debates is that I'm taking votes from the Democrats. Sixty percent of my supporters are voting for Obama. I'll talk about gay marriage, and Perdue isn't, or doesn't want to." While Democratic candidate Perdue took a hard line on illegal immigration
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
similar to that of Republican Pat McCrory, Munger took a position more aligned with Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Perdue raised $15 million and ran attack ads against McCrory, criticizing him for not being tough enough on illegal immigration
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
.
In October 2008, McCrory received the endorsement of most major newspapers in the state, which typically endorse Democrats. McCrory's candidacy for governor was endorsed by the Raleigh News and Observer, the Charlotte Observer, the Greensboro News & Record
Greensboro News & Record
The News & Record is the largest newspaper serving Guilford County and the surrounding region. It is based in Greensboro, NC, and produces local sections for Greensboro and Rockingham County, NC. As of April, 2011, it had an average weekday circulation of 60,993 and an average Sunday circulation...
, the Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem Journal
The Winston-Salem Journal is a daily newspaper primarily serving the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and its county, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It also features coverage of Northwestern North Carolina and circulates as far west as Tennessee and north to Virginia.The paper is owned by...
, and the UNC-Chapel Hill Daily Tar Heel.
Perdue received the endorsement of actor and director Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
, who filmed a campaign ad on her behalf.
Perdue defeated McCrory and Munger on November 4, 2008 to win the election.
Debates
The first general election debate between Perdue and McCrory was a forum at the North Carolina Bar Association meeting in Atlantic BeachAtlantic Beach, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2008, there were 1,815 people, 971 households, and 498 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 4,728 housing units at an average density of 2,206.0 per square mile...
on June 21. The first debate between the two that was televised live was conducted by WTVD
WTVD
WTVD, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Durham, North Carolina. The station serves the areas of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Fayetteville, known as the Triangle...
on August 19. Another televised debate was held by WRAL-TV
WRAL-TV
WRAL-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Raleigh, North Carolina. WRAL-TV has been the flagship station of Capitol Broadcasting Company since its inception, and is currently the CBS affiliate for the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Fayetteville area, known collectively as the Triangle...
on September 9. Next, McCrory and Perdue met for a debate on education issues at SAS Institute
SAS Institute
SAS Institute Inc. , headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, USA, has been a major producer of software since it was founded in 1976 by Anthony Barr, James Goodnight, John Sall and Jane Helwig...
on September 19. The debate was sponsored by business and education groups and was covered by News 14 Carolina
News 14 Carolina
News 14 Carolina is a 24-hour cable news service offered in North Carolina, USA, by Time Warner Cable on its cable TV systems in the state. There are News 14 Carolina television channels in Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Wilmington each primarily with local news but some local programming...
.
Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
professor and Libertarian candidate Michael Munger
Michael Munger
Michael Curtis Munger is an economist, chair of the political science department at Duke University, and was the Libertarian candidate for Governor of North Carolina in 2008....
made history as the first third-party candidate to participate in a live, televised gubernatorial debate in North Carolina. He made his first debate appearance with McCrory on September 24 at UNC-TV
UNC-TV
University of North Carolina Television, known on-air as UNC-TV, is a public television network in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is operated by the University of North Carolina, with studios located at the UNC Center for Public Television at Research Triangle Park...
. Perdue declined to participate in that debate. All three candidates debated for the first time on October 15, in the final debate before the general election. The hour-long debate, sponsored by WTVI
WTVI
WTVI is a Public Broadcasting Service member public television station based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station broadcasts on digital channel 11 . It is the only public television station in North Carolina that is not operated by UNC-TV, and one of three serving Charlotte...
, WSOC-TV
WSOC-TV
WSOC-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. The station's studio is located at North Tryon and 23rd Streets, just north of Uptown Charlotte, and is shared with sister station WAXN-TV . The transmitter is located just outside...
and the League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
, aired in several television markets.
Analysts said that McCrory tended to perform better than Perdue in the debates, particularly in "sit-down debates that allowed more back-and-forth between the candidates."
Results
External links
- North Carolina State Board of Elections
- North Carolina Governor candidates at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- North Carolina Governor race Lt. Governor from OurCampaigns.com
- North Carolina Governor race from 2008 Race Tracker
- Campaign contributions from Follow the Money
- McCrory (R) vs Perdue (D) graph of collected poll results from Pollster.com
- Official campaign websites
- Pat McCrory, Republican nominee
- Michael Munger, Libertarian nominee
- Bev Perdue, Democratic nominee
Primaries