NCAE considers gubernatorial endorsements

The first major endorsement of the North Carolina governor's race could occur this weekend.

Leaders of the 70,000-member N.C Association of Educators will interview gubernatorial candidates on Saturday and may recommend an endorsement to their membership, Rob Christensen reports.

The early line is that Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue is the favorite. John Wilson, the executive director of the National Education Association, the group's parent organization, cosponsored a fund raiser in June for Perdue that was attended by about a dozen top NEA officials.

But the head of the NCAE said she does not have it in the bag.

"John Wilson has the freedom to support whoever he wants," said Eddie Davis of Durham, the NCAE president.

Davis noted that the NCAE has endorsed three of the gubernatorial candidates in earlier races — Perdue, state Treasurer Richard Moore, and former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr.

More after the jump.

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"We've worked real hard to let people know that it will be an open, fair and transparent process and it should not be a preconceived perception that Beverly Perdue has this locked up. She does not."

Davis said no decision has been made whether to endorse in both the Democratic and Republican primaries.

Orr and state Sen. Fred Smith, both Republicans, will attend interviews. He said Bill Graham, a Salisbury attorney, decided to pass.

The NCAE is endorsing early this year, Davis said, to maximize the influence of its endorsement.