McCrory visits Chapel Hill

In Mama Dip's back room"" Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory made sure no one misunderstood his opponent.

""(Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue) says one thing in Charlotte and another thing somewhere else"" he said about his Democratic opponent.

I give the same message no matter where I am.""

Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton introduced McCrory on Wednesday at a supporters' breakfast"" emphasizing that he is a Democrat endorsing a Republican.

""I've been impressed by the way he's stood up for good government in North Carolina"" Chilton said.

Chilton accused the state government of being corrupt and power-hungry, and pointed to McCrory as a leader who could change that.

Democrats" Republicans and unaffiliateds agree on one thing: The government should not be run for somebody's personal property but for the taxpayers here in North Carolina" Chilton said.

In the final days of a campaign that has been neck-and-neck — Perdue leads McCrory 47 to 44 in an Oct. 25 to 26 poll by Raleigh's Public Policy Polling — McCrory criticized the negative and distorted"" ads of the Perdue campaign.

""These last few days I'm going to run a positive" grassroots campaign" he said, explaining that he doesn't have the corporate and party machine money to run negative television ads across the state the way Perdue has.

He also accused Perdue of being a part of a party machine in Raleigh.

The state government is run by a power elite behind closed doors. They never get out of the beltline in Raleigh"" McCrory said.

Supporters of all ages, some proudly displaying I voted"" stickers"" shouted ""leadership"" as McCrory promised to lead an ethical government that would be proactive across party lines.

""There's not a Republican or Democratic way to fill a pothole"" McCrory said. I've always found a bipartisan coalition to make things happen.""

Charlotte residents have seen McCrory reach across the aisle as the Republican mayor of a city with a Democratic city council.

""If you look at his record" he has just gotten things done. There are a whole lot more Democrats in Charlotte but in the midst of a Democratic-dominated city council there's been bipartisan support" said UNC Students for Pat McCrory member, first-year John Harris.

Additionally, McCrory has clinched the endorsements of most of the major state newspapers, which typically endorse Democrats. The Daily Tar Heel also endorsed McCrory on Monday.

McCrory said that his seven terms as mayor of a Democratic city and his commitment to government ethics have attracted liberal support for his candidacy.

I've been courting Independents"" Republicans and Democrats since the beginning. That's how I've been elected mayor seven times.""



Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.