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North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) on Monday signed into law one of the nation’s most wide-ranging Voter ID laws. The move is likely to touch off a major court battle over voting rights, and the Justice Department is weighing a challenge to the new law. The measure requires voters to present government-issued photo identification at the polls and shortens the early voting period from 17 to 10 days. It will also end pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-old voters who will be 18 on Election Day and eliminates same-day voter registration. Democrats and minority groups have been fighting against the...

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that it has suspended the license of Femcare, an abortion clinic in Asheville, for two dozen serious health and safety violations discovered during a routine inspection on July 18 and 19th. This action comes just two days after Gov. Pat McCrory signed a law that will require abortion clinics to meet the standards of an outpatient surgery center. Ironically, it was thought that Femcare would be the only North Carolina abortion clinic to meet safety standards under the new law, but it seems it that thinking was grossly...

Raleigh, N.C. — Gov. Pat McCrory signed 18 bills Monday, including two of the more controversial of the recently ended legislative session – those dealing with gun rights and abortion clinics. **SNIP** The gun rights law, expands the places where those with legal permits can carry a concealed firearm to include bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, although they are not supposed to consume alcohol. It also allows permit holders to keep firearms locked in their car when parked on college or public school campuses. The measure seals gun purchase and permit records, so that lists compiled by law by...

Every Monday since April, thousands of North Carolina residents have gathered at the State Capitol to protest the grotesque damage that a new Republican majority has been doing to a tradition of caring for the least fortunate. Nearly 700 people have been arrested in the “Moral Monday” demonstrations, as they are known. But the bad news keeps on coming from the Legislature, and pretty soon a single day of the week may not be enough to contain the outrage. In January, after the election of Pat McCrory as governor, Republicans took control of both the executive and legislative branches for...

This is the discussion thread for North Carolina results. Post important news and info here; I'll make new posts for the final results of the major races here, but in the meantime, this is where we can sweat and celebrate. Some of the major races other than McCain-Obama, for interested outsiders... Governor: Pat McCrory (R, 13 year mayor of Charlotte) v Beverly Perdue (D, Lt. Governor) Senate: Elizabeth Dole (R, Inc) v Kay Hagan (D, state senator) Lt. Governor: Robert Pittenger (R, state senator) v Walter Dalton (D, state senator) 8th US House District: Robin Hayes (R, inc) v Larry...

Would the invigorating winds of change blow through the halls of North Carolina's state government if a Republican -- specifically, Pat McCrory, for 14 years the mayor of Charlotte -- were elected governor? You betcha, says McCrory, vowing to dispel what he calls a culture of corruption that has afflicted the capital under Democratic rule.

But the governor's race is an exception: Pat McCrory, the Republican mayor of Charlotte, now has a slight lead over Democratic Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state finds McCrory attracting 50% of the vote while Perdue earns 46%. This is the first time Rasmussen Reports has polled the governor’s race since mid-August, and it represents quite a reversal. In August, Perdue held a six-point advantage. She is currently serving her second term as lieutenant governor. McCrory has been Charlotte’s mayor since 1995.

Raleigh, N.C. — Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory has edged ahead of Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue in the gubernatorial race with less than five weeks until the election, according to a new WRAL News poll. Polling firm Rasmussen Reports surveyed 700 likely voters statewide Tuesday and found that McCrory, the Republican candidate, holds a 50 to 46 percent lead over Perdue, the Democratic candidate. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. The poll reverses the findings of a WRAL News poll taken in August, when Perdue held a 6-point lead. An Elon University poll...

Pat McCrory has the lead in a new poll. According to a recent poll by SurveyUSA, the Republican gubernatorial candidate had 49 percent, Democrat Beverly Perdue had 41 percent and Libertarian Mike Munger had 5 percent. Five percent of respondents were undecided. "Compared to an identical SurveyUSA poll released four weeks ago, McCrory is up 5 points and is in the lead for the first time; Perdue is down 6 points and trails for the first time," the pollsters write. The survey of 671 likely voters was conducted between Sept. 6 and 8. The margin of error is plus or...

In an election for North Carolina Governor Tuesday, September 9th, 8 weeks to the vote, Republican Mayor of Charlotte Pat McCrory seesaws into the lead over Democratic Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue 49% to 41%, according to this latest SurveyUSA election tracking poll conducted exclusively for WTVD-TV in Raleigh. This poll asked of 671 likely voters the following question (more details on poll collection at bottom): If the election for a North Carolina Governor were today, would you vote for (choices rotated) Republican Pat McCrory? Democrat Beverly Perdue? Or Libertarian Mike Munger? 49% Pat McCrory (R) 41% Beverly Perdue (D) 5%...

In an election for North Carolina Governor today, 09/09/08, 8 weeks to the vote, Republican Mayor of Charlotte Pat McCrory seesaws into the lead over Democratic Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue 49% to 41%, according to this latest SurveyUSA election tracking poll conducted exclusively for WTVD-TV in Raleigh. Compared to an identical SurveyUSA poll released four weeks ago, McCrory is up 5 points and is in the lead for the first time; Perdue is down 6 points and trails for the first time. Libertarian Mike Munger, a professor at Duke University, takes 5% of the vote today, unchanged from one month...

Another Republican candidate for governor is working again on getting some support down east. Charlotte Mayor and GOP gubernatorial hopeful Pat McCrory announced this week he was hiring former Carteret County party chairman Bob Pruett to lead his grassroots efforts in 39 eastern counties. Eastern North Carolina voters remain predominantly Democratic, but more have voted Republican in federal races in recent years. But the GOP has had a hard time translating that to governor. In 2004, Republican nominee Patrick Ballantine of Wilmington didn't fare that well as incumbent Democrat Mike Easley – from Southport – racked up big wins there....

GOP chief wants McCrory foe out Challenger known for sexually explicit readings at meetings RICHARD RUBIN Staff Writer Hours after he filed to run for mayor last Friday, Republican Martin Davis got a call from county party chairman John Aneralla, who asked him to end his primary challenge to 10-year incumbent Pat McCrory. During the conversation, Aneralla told Davis that someone could reimburse his $200 filing fee, both men said this week. "I was very offended," said Davis, who doesn't plan to quit. "I wasn't even a politician one whole day before I got my first bribe." Aneralla brushed off...

The mayor of North Carolina's largest city said Sunday that North Carolinians really don't know Sen. John Edwards all that well, and were stunned to find out how liberal he was when he got into office. "He said one thing here in North Carolina on the campaign trail about the values of small towns," said Patrick McCrory, who is now in his fifth term as Charlotte's mayor. Story Continues Below "But frankly, he's spent more time with the Hollywood elite than he did with leaders of this state, including me," he told WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg. McCrory said the reason...

The mayor of North Carolina's largest city said Sunday that North Carolinians really don't know Sen. John Edwards all that well, and were stunned to find out how liberal he was when he got into office. "He said one thing here in North Carolina on the campaign trail about the values of small towns," said Patrick McCrory, who is now in his fifth term as Charlotte's mayor. "But frankly, he's spent more time with the Hollywood elite than he did with leaders of this state, including me," he told WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg. McCrory said the reason Edwards seems...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Christine Iverson202-863-8614 Boston, Mass. – Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory released the following statement today in response to a Boston Herald article that shows Senator John Kerry was against nuclear preparedness programs: “When he was running for Lieutenant Governor in 1982, John Kerry campaigned against planning for state evacuation in the event of a nuclear attack. He actually ran a radio ad saying, ‘Someone has to stand up and say “no” to this madness.’ Kerry contended that nobody could survive a nuclear attack, so planning wasn't worth the effort. “Kerry also justified not being prepared by saying...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- With Charlotte’s mayoral election election just two weeks away, the political arena is heating up. On Wednesday, Craig Madans challenged incumbent Mayor Pat McCrory to promise he would serve a full term if elected. Madans signed a pledge that said he would finish the full two years in office. He claimed he had heard comments that lead him to believe the McCrory would leave office if offered a higher position. “All the candidates that are running in this election should be willing to serve that time which they’re being elected for, instead of just using this as...

Two months before he's expected to file for re-election, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory said he's keeping his options open -- for a 2004 governor's race. If elected to an unprecedented fifth term in November, McCrory would have less than four months to file for a statewide race. But in an interview Tuesday, he declined to rule it out. "I'm going to keep my options open for 2004 right now," he said. "Right now all my concentration is on running for mayor." Filing for this fall's city elections opens July 7. Though widely expected to run, McCrory said only that he's...

Stage is likely set for GOP's first contested primary since 1997 MICHELLE CROUCH Staff Writer For the first time since 1997, Republican voters in Charlotte may have a choice in who they nominate to be the city's next mayor. Former Charlotte City Council member Mike Castano, a staunch conservative, will announce his candidacy at 6 p.m. Monday. He'll likely run against four-term Mayor Pat McCrory in the Republican primary, setting up a race that will focus largely on McCrory's support of a new $265 million basketball arena. "We need to repair our roads and meet the needs of our citizens...

After a decade on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board, John Lassiter announced Monday he is running for an at-large Charlotte City Council seat. Lassiter, a Republican, said supporters have encouraged him to run for council for years and it's finally time. "We've reached a point that I think we're in a much better place in our public schools than when I joined the board in 1992," Lassiter said. "I still have an interest in serving the community, and I believe there are a lot of issues facing the city that I can be of some value in addressing." He said he...