With my deepest gratitude, I want to thank you for your support during our campaign.  I've been absolutely touched by the outpouring of good will and hard work from all across North Carolina, and I will never forget it.  Today, North Carolina Democrats choose their nominee for Governor, and your vote will make history.

On this last day of the Primary, I'm so proud to have run a campaign about creating hope and opportunity, about building a new North Carolina where kids can grow up knowing that if they work hard and get a good education, they'll have a real shot at success.

Please remember to make your vote count today.  Remind your family, co-workers, and take a friend along with you!  Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.   Click HERE to find your polling location.  Then come join us as we eagerly watch the returns come in tonight at the North Raleigh Hilton.

North Raleigh Hilton
3415 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, NC

Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
 
Thank you for everything you've done!

Bev

“I know there are some negative ads being run today that really shouldn’t be run... All this mess about not standing up for civil rights is ridiculous.” – Gov. Mike Easley

Perhaps Governor Easley said it best when talking about what this campaign should be:

“This needs to be issue-oriented…a clean positive issue-oriented campaign – the type that reflects the good hearted decencies of those of us who are proud to call North Carolina home.”

That’s exactly what Bev Perdue is doing – she’s running a positive campaign focused on the issues that matter most.

“We deplore the use of ads by the North Carolina Republican Party and by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Moore which use racially charged images to manipulate voters,” Democracy North Carolina’s Bob Hall said in a statement.  “The consultants for these groups may wish to make money with this kind of deception, but the responsible clients and the broadcasters should recognize the damage they do and just say NO.”

Former Governor Hunt told WRAL-TV last night that  Richard Moore’s ad accusing Bev Perdue of supporting the KKK “crossed the line” and that Bev Perdue has shown tremendous leadership on civil rights issues.

“She has spent a lifetime helping African-American children and adults, and to claim otherwise is just not right,” Gov. Hunt told WRAL last night.

Perdue is endorsed by 25 of 27 members of the Legislative Black Caucus including Chair Alma Adams, former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, former Congresswoman Eva Clayton, Congressman G.K. Butterfield and a number of other African-American political organizations. 

The Perdue campaign had uncovered this vote during its background research, a vote from 21 years ago that Perdue doesn’t recall but clearly is a mis-vote – particularly in light of numerous other votes cast that very same year including:

• H39 – A vote to make the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday a paid holiday for state employees
• H226 – The landmark Civil Rights Act prohibiting any person from interfering with another person’s civil rights
• H589 – A bill regarding redrawn court districts to allow more black judges

Bev Perdue’s strong civil rights record has earned her endorsements from dozens of civil rights leaders such as Eva Clayton, Harvey Gantt, G.K. Butterfield, Alma Adams, and 25 out of 27 members of the Legislative Black Caucus.

Click here to read more about Bev Perdue’s civil rights record.

Nationwide legislation intended to redistribute military resources will bring tens of thousands of newcomers to North Carolina.

By 2011, the state's strong military presence will be augmented by a relocated Army command post and an influx of 35,000 to 45,000 military personnel and contractors.

The Army command post will be relocated from Fort McPherson in Georgia to Fort Bragg.

North Carolina will also receive personnel from bases that are closing in surrounding states, a realignment determined by the most recent installment of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 2005.

"We're very fortunate in that we didn't shut down any bases," said Paul Dordal, executive director of the N.C.-based BRAC Regional Task Force, a commission designed to help communities adjust to changes brought about by the legislation.

Will Austin, executive director of the N.C. Military Foundation, said the projected economic impact of the base realignment will be more than $1 billion.

"Yes, there will be billions of dollars of construction coming, but longer-term it's the impact you'll see in strategies to support the installations," he said.

As to whether the state can handle such a large influx of people, Dordal said that the challenges will be significant but that the economic benefits will outweigh the negatives.

"One of our goals is to ensure that the quality of life in this region doesn't decrease as we see the large increase in population at Fort Bragg."

He said concerns include potential strains on housing, schools and public transportation.

Sara Vanderclute, a Cumberland County government spokeswoman, said the county - the site of Fort Bragg - welcomes the relocation.

"It is a challenge for the receiving community, but it's also a blessing," she said. "The military presence here is the foundation of our economy."

Vanderclute said Cumberland County is currently planning to build a new library, school and public health center in the western part of the county to accommodate the newcomers.

The effort to prepare North Carolina for the base realignment is a bipartisan, statewide effort, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue said in an e-mail.

"Preparing for BRAC-related growth is about economic development and not at all about politics," she stated, adding that she believes the state will be prepared.

Austin said the expansion of North Carolina's bases will allow the state to continue its long-standing support of the military.

"North Carolina has hosted these major installations for a long time," he said. "They are very much the fabric of our communities."

Dordal added that North Carolina isn't the only state receiving headquarters and personnel from BRAC closings. Thirteen other military-growth communities, including those around Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Knox in Kentucky, are experiencing the same phenomenon.

Bev Perdue's Seniors Tax Relief Agenda

A plan to provide significant tax relief for seniors by expanding North Carolina's homestead exemption, freezing property tax evaluations, and establishing a family caregiver tax credit.
 
Plan for Clean Gubernatorial Elections

The Endowment for Positive Gubernatorial Campaigns will eliminate special interest financing of gubernatorial campaigns.
 
Justice for Sterilization Victims

As North Carolina’s next Governor, Bev Perdue will be committed to putting the ugly historical chapter of forced sterilization in our state behind us by bringing justice to those families who were so tragically victimized by it.
 
Small Business First Approach

As the chief generator of new jobs and business innovation, small businesses are vital to the overall health of North Carolina’s economy.   As North Carolina’s next Governor, Bev will make sure that targeted pro-small business policies are a centerpiece of our state’s economic development strategy.

"BRAC"

Part 2

Part 3