What if Bev Perdue Didn't Run for Re-election? (SSP)

[FBaggins]

North Carolina's incumbent Democratic governor, Bev Perdue, swept into office in 2008 by the narrowest of margins, undoubtedly propelled by the unusual level of enthusiasm for Barack Obama at the top of the ticket. Almost ever since then, though, her poll numbers have been poor, and in head-to-heads with likely rematch opponent Pat McCrory (the former mayor of Charlotte), she's usually trailed by double digits:

All the data points in the above graph are from PPP, but they were confirmed by a recent SurveyUSA poll (PDF) for the Civitas Institute. At least a couple of Democrats last cycle who couldn't escape numbers like this bailed rather than seek re-election - Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut for one, and Gov. Bill Ritter of Colorado for another. In both cases, they were replaced by more popular candidates (Dick Blumenthal and John Hickenlooper, respectively) who went on to win handily.

Both Ritter and Dodd didn't announce their retirements until January 2010, so perhaps we're a bit early in asking this question. But at SSP, we're always trying to stay ahead of the curve, so I'm putting these questions to all of you: Do you think Perdue could be persuaded not to seek a second term? Do you think she should be? And if she could be prevailed upon not to run again, who could take her place for Team Blue?

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/8764/ncgov-what-if-bev-perdue-didnt-run-for-reelection

[blm]

1. McCrory's all MYTH and a big reason Charlotte home prices are still suffering. He gave developers

everything they wanted during his entire stewardship of the city, and they built and built WANTONLY without any REAL oversight. Now, so many of those poorly built homes are empty or in constant need of repair. The excess of housing and overdevelopment by these opportunists has kept ALL home prices down, but, people have been too dumbed down to understand that simple fact.

McCrory, like other Republican mayors and governors, rode high on Dem policies under Clinton, then helped fuel the collapse of the economy under Bush's watch. Just because he left office before the worst f it hit Charlotte, doesn't mean he escapes blame. He was a Bush cheerleader all the way.

Perdue has done as good a job as ANY leader can do given the state of the Bush/McCrory-driven collapse of the economy here that she has had to deal with the last two years.

[FBaggins]

2. Yep. All true

But it still looks like he beats her (with the caveat that much can still change).

Another good point is wondering who would do better?

[blm]

3. I doubt that - alot of NC won't trust GOP to protect their Medicare and Social Security

and that includes McCrory who will be tied to Walker, Snyder, Kasich, Scott and their attacks on the working class, protection of the wealthy, and various other over-reaches. McCrory hasn't had a negative ad against him or media focus in 3 years. That WILL change.

[supernova]

4. There's also a natural distrust of all things Charlotte

in the rest of NC. Charlotte likes to pretend that it's NYC to the rest of NC.

McCrory probably won't be able to overcome that.