Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Bev Perdue seemed to agree on off-shore drilling. They said once the scientists sign off on drilling, the candidates support it.

But McCrory accused Perdue of flip-flopping, and Perdue accused McCrory of being reckless.

McCrory said, "Just a week ago, or two weeks ago, she said she's 100 percent opposed to off-shore drilling in North Carolina, and she's also said it won't happen on her watch."

Perdue said, "The mayor of Charlotte has said, 'On my first day, I'm going to sign an executive order saying, ‘Katie, bar the door -- we're going to have oil drilling off-shore.'’"

So Eyewitness News asked Catawba College professor and political expert Dr. Michael Bitzer why the candidates didn't pick a different topic -- one they disagree on -- to argue about.

Bitzer said, "Gas prices are still [the] No. 1 issue on most people's minds because it is a pocketbook issue and, so, when you're talking about economics, that's really where the candidates are going to try and differentiate themselves."

People at the pump agree. They said oil is the hot issue and they expect candidates to argue about it even if they have similar plans.

"And that's why they may be going back and forth the way they are," said driver Arthur Bucknor.