? Beverly Perdue and Pat McCrory spar over the state lottery, with Perdue accusing McCrory of wanting to repeal it and create a budget hole and McCrory pointing out that his previous statement recognized the fiscal difficulty of repealing the lottery now. The candidates also disagree on education priorities during an appearance in Asheville.
? McCrory draws editorial defense from The Charlotte Observer on a Democratic attack on his fiscal record but draws editorial criticism for his offshore drilling position from the Rocky Mount Telegram.
? Writing in The Fayetteville Observer, Kay Hagan argues for more federal aid to military veterans. She also criticizes Elizabeth Dole for favoring an end to the federal ban on offshore drilling. For her part, Dole urges the Bush administration to create a national monument protecting coral reefs off the Carolina shore and announces funding for long-awaited Hwy. 17 improvements.
