Front-runners pulled off wins in both parties' primaries heading into November's election last night, setting up a battle between two big-name candidates in the race to replace outgoing Democratic Governor Mike Easley. Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue won a surprisingly wide victory over Treasurer Richard Moore, by a 56%-40% margin, to claim the Democratic nomination, while Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory won the Republican nomination with 46%; his nearest opponent, State Senator Fred Smith, scored 37%.

Perdue and Moore's Democratic contest had devolved into an expensive exercise in name-calling and insinuations of links to white supremacist groups. The Republican side, while less acrimonious, was no less competitive, with Smith and two more candidates splitting the conservative vote, allowing the moderate McCrory to sneak through.

The Democratic candidate remains the likely favorite come November, and Republican McCrory has history holding him back as well. Several recent Charlotte Mayors, including Harvey Gantt and now-Rep. Sue Myrick, have sought and lost elections for statewide office. And while the state will likely vote heavily for John McCain come November, Democrats have won the governor's mansion in recent presidential years; the GOP has not controlled the executive office since 1993.