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Republican Pat McCrory continued his moderate transformation during Wednesday's debate, shedding his tea party and conservative cape as he said legislation restricting abortions and cracking down on illegal immigration won't appear on his agenda if elected. At the same time, Democrat Walter Dalton made a bold pledge to lower the employment rate as much as 3 percent in his first year. Pundits say the debate isn't the game changer Dalton needed. Read more here and see four fact checks from the debate.

More political headlines:

--In a new development that raises questions about Debra Goldman's judgment, another police report surfaced showing that the GOP state auditor candidate called 911 after a fellow board member yelled at her during a heated Wake school board meeting.

Three political pundits came away from Wednesday evening's debate with different views. But two points of agreement: Democratic candidate Walter Dalton didn't do enough to alter the race, in which he is losing by double-digits. And Pat McCrory offered a surprising amount of detail on two hot-button issues. 

Andy Taylor, political science professor at N.C. State University: “The debate was certainly not anything approaching the ‘game changer’ Dalton needed. People are already voting, and the lieutenant governor has very little money, so this debate was, in many ways, his last chance to alter the dynamic of the race.

The Democratic Governors Association appears to be conceding the N.C. governor's race to Republicans.

A DGA-funded liberal group supporting Democratic candidate Walter Dalton's is not running TV ads this week -- as hundreds of thousands of voters go to the polls -- and no commercials are scheduled to appear in the final week before the election.

A spokesman for N.C. Citizens for Progress, the group helping Dalton, said national Democrats have not abandoned the race entirely, but he acknowledged it is dark this week with no concrete plans to make future TV ad purchases. The group "is currently assessing the political landscape to determine its actions for the last two weeks of the campaign," said Michael Weisel, a Raleigh attorney with the Citizens group.

N.C. Republican Party leaders were aware of a reported relationship between Wake County school board members Debra Goldman and Chris Malone, yet they still discouraged other potential GOP candidates from opposing Goldman in her run for state auditor, a former opponent said Tuesday. After voting Tuesday, Pat McCrory wouldn't say whether he supported Goldman. Read the full story here.

More political headlines:

--The state employees association unveiled a website Tuesday that highlights the GOP lieutenant governor candidate Dan Forest's thoughts on  “Islamic extremists” who want to impose Shariah law and a United Nations plan for sustainable development called Agenda 21. “He is probably the most radical candidate who’s ever run for North Carolina office,” said Dana Cope, the group's leader.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton jabbed at Pat McCrory Tuesday morning while Republican candidate dodged the topic and called it a “desperation” attack in the final two weeks of their gubernatorial campaign.

Dalton outlined his jobs plan and touted his record on education. Then he attacked McCrory over taxes, oil drilling and what he called McCrory’s support for special interests. 

The Asheville Citizen-Times is the latest N.C. newspaper to endorse Pat McCrory for governor. The paper -- which picked President Barack Obama for the White House -- said McCrory's executive experience as Charlotte mayor gave him the edge.

Pat McCrory, who campaigned Saturday with Republican state auditor candidate Debra Goldman, is now facing criticism from Democrats about his response to the controversy engulfing her candidacy.

“Pat believes that the timing of this story, coming after voting has already started, and its basis from a stolen police report, to be troubling,” Brian Nick, McCrory’s spokesman said Monday. “If the allegations are based on facts, Pat hopes that the folks involved are able to tend to these matters, and his prayers are with the families impacted.”

In essence, McCrory -- who highlights Democratic scandals in Raleigh at every opportunity in his campaign to "clean up" Raleigh -- seemed to criticize the media but avoid commenting on the substance in the allegations. His campaign didn't answer a question about whether he would vote for Goldman.

The Republican Governors Association pulled nearly all its remaining TV advertising in North Carolina, signaling its confidence that Pat McCrory is a lock in the governor's race.

The D.C.-based group planned to spend nearly $1 million on TV ads attacking Democrat Walter Dalton in the final two weeks of the election. But the RGA cut all spending on broadcast stations starting this week, media buyers reported Monday.

Libertarian candidate Barbara Howe is airing a new TV ad that asks voters to "make a statement" and reject the two major parties in the governor's race.

The 30-second spot features three people who express frustration with the two major political parties before cutting to the candidate. "Libertarians takes the best the other two parties have to offer," Howe says.

The fundraising quarter ended at midnight Sunday for North Carolina candidates. It's a "third-quarter-plus," given that it extended 20 days longer than the federal third quarter period. The candidates must report their Q3 campaign finance activity by Oct. 29 but some totals will begin to leak this week.

As a preview, take a look at this Jacksonville Daily News story about Democrat Walter Dalton's poor fundraising down East, an area where Perdue ran strong against Republican Pat McCrory in the 2008 money race.

In particular the split in the Sewell family is intriguing. Louis Sewell bundled money for Perdue. But this year for Dalton, it's tough going. “I like him, but he got in late and people have some dissatisfaction with previous administrations,” Sewell said.