McCrory relaxed, ready for 'nastiest race' in NC history

In less than 24 hours, former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory will make his run for North Carolina governor official.

Polls indicate he is the candidate to beat, but McCrory believes the 2012 race for the Governor’s Mansion may be the nastiest race in state history.

McCrory is relaxed and smiling the day before he kicks off his second campaign for governor, but the smile quickly fades when talking about the road ahead, a campaign he fully expects to get ugly.

“It’s going to be a rough and tumble game, and I’ve got to recognize that and not walk in like it’s good old Charlotte politics, which has always been clean,” he said.

Even before his campaign officially begins, the state Democratic party has set up a website, TeamMcCrory.com, to raise questions about McCrory’s positions and integrity.

Political expert Michael Bitzer says negative campaigning on both sides could be unprecedented.

“It’s going to be a level that we have not seen in a very long time and probably never will see again,” Bitzer said.

McCrory used the word “corruption” when he referred to current governor Bev Perdue, who had several campaign aides indicted last year.

With Perdue now out of the race, he will still essentially run against her and her predecessor, Gov. Mike Easley, regardless of who the Democrats eventually pick as a candidate.

“I know every one of the names being floated. I’ve worked with many of them. But each of the names being floated strongly supported Gov. Easley and Gov. Perdue’s policies and leadership,” McCrory said.

Bitzer said McCrory’s best friend may be the Democrats’ own primary.

“The thing he wants is a bitter, divisive Democratic primary that stretches into a June run-off. And he’s kind of coasting right along,” he said.

McCrory said one mistake he made while running four years ago was not having a good enough grassroots campaign. He said he is intent on fixing that while waiting to see who will run against him.