The N.C. Association of Educators government relations commission voted to recommend endorsing Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue for governor.
In making the recommendation, the commission cited its long working relationship with Perdue, her work on the Excellent Schools Act of 1996 and her support of higher teacher salaries.
"I am very proud of the fair and open interaction the Government Relations Commission had with all candidates that appeared before it today," said president Eddie Davis in a statement.
Jay Reiff, campaign manager for Treasurer Richard Moore, criticized the decision.
"Endorsing a candidate who has yet to announce she's even running for governor smacks of backroom deals and 'good old boy' politics," he said in a statement.
The commission is made up of 26 members from across the state. It made the recommendation after interviewing Moore, former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr and state Sen. Fred Smith and reviewing their responses to a questionnaire.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Graham did not meet with the association.
The association will now mail ballots to all 70,000 members. If 60 percent agree with the recommendation, the group will formally endorse Perdue.
Blog RSS feed
Re: NCAE votes to endorse Perdue
The winners in this sham:
Bill Graham by not participating. The BEST move by any of the candidates. He is the big winner in this sham.
Richard Moore by sending the letter to the media requesting that the endorsement process be delayed until Perdue is an actual announced candidate.
The losers:
Bob Orr and Fred Smith. Who consults these guys? Why interview for an endorsement that you cannot win. Now they are seen as candidates who were trampled by Perdue.
The NCAE. They now have zero credibility. They just endorsed someone who is not an announced candidate yet. They are now a pure political fundraising apparatus for Perdue.
Neutral:
Beverly Perdue. She got an endorsement that she was expecting.