Pat McCrory took aim at unions Tuesday.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate made several references to labor unions during a debate on WTVD that left no doubt of a rift between McCrory and a group representing state workers.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina endorsed McCrory's Democratic rival, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, in late July.

The Service Employees International Union, which is affiliated with SEANC, has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to a 527 group that is running ads attacking McCrory's record this year.

McCrory complained about the ads twice during the debate, saying they were taking his remarks out of context and were funded by "national Washington group and labor unions and other groups from throughout the country."

"The 30-second TV ads, which now attack me, by this Washington labor group are saying that I'm opposed to free two-year college tuition, and therefore I'm against students, I'm against kids," he added later.

After Perdue mentioned her endorsements by law enforcement groups during a discussion on the death penalty, McCrory took aim at them as well.

"This has nothing to do with endorsements by quasi-labor unions," he said.

During the Democratic primary, Perdue was endorsed by the N.C. Troopers Association, the N.C. Police Benevolent Association and the N.C. Sheriff Police Alliance.

The N.C. Troopers Association is slamming an independent consultant's review of the state Highway Patrol.

The association released a statement today that called the report "incomplete, biased, misleading, and inaccurate in relevant parts." It also said the report is a "severe disservice" to troopers, the patrol and taxpayers, Dan Kane reports.

The association is the second group to criticize the review. John Midgette, the N.C. Police Benevolent Association's executive director, also delivered a harsh critique after the review was released on Wednesday.

Kroll of New York City was hired to perform a review of the patrol's hiring, training and supervision practices. Gov. Mike Easley called for the review last fall after several high profile cases of trooper misconduct.

He and N.C. Crime Control and Public Safety Secretary Bryan Beatty have praised its findings.

More after the jump.

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The N.C. Police Benevolent Association is raising objections to a four-month review of the N.C. Highway Patrol's hiring, training and supervision policies.

John Midgette, the association's executive director, said the review was a "manipulated fraud" because it did not look into pressing issues inside the 1,800-member force, particularly the handling of disciplinary cases, Dan Kane reports.

"It was destined to be a fraud because of the fact that (patrol Commander Fletcher Clay and N.C. Crime Control and Public Safety Secretary Bryan Beatty) had defined the scope of the survey and they selected the so-called consultant," Midgette said.

He also said that the consultant, Kroll of New York City, did not base its findings on "traditional methodology" such as interviews under oath or written surveys.

Kroll said in its report that it interviewed troopers throughout the ranks of the force as well as officials with affiliated groups, including the N.C. PBA.

More after the jump.

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The N.C. Police Benevolent Association has made its primary endorsements.

The group, which represents law enforcement officers around the state, has endorsed Beverly Perdue for governor, Hampton Dellinger for lieutenant governor and Janet Cowell for state treasurer.

In judicial races, it endorsed Associate Justice Bob Edmunds for re-election to his Supreme Court seat, Cheri Beasley, Linda Stephens, Sam J. Ervin IV, Jim Wynn and John Arrowood for the state Court of Appeals.

In Congressional races, it endorsed U.S. Reps. Walter Jones and Brad Miller.

Endorsements were made after a recent screening of 25 candidates.

"The candidates were asked questions on issues vitally important to the law enforcement profession and public safety," the group wrote in a press release. "Many outstanding candidates were in attendance."

The N.C. Sheriff Police Alliance has endorsed Beverly Perdue.

The group, which represents law enforcement officers in the state, announced its endorsement of the Democratic gubernatorial candidate today.

"Bev Perdue is not only good for law enforcement, she's good for North Carolina," said president Andy Miller in a statement.

The Sheriff Police Alliance was started in 2007 by three current and former Durham police officers. Miller previously served as president of the N.C. Police Benevolent Association, which represents 4,500 law enforcement officers in the state.

It has previously only made endorsements in local races in Durham.

Perdue has also been endorsed by EMILY's List, the N.C. Association of Educators, the National Association of Social Workers, the United Transportation Union, the National Women's Political Caucus, the N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Communications Workers of America and the N.C. Trooper's Association.

State House members on Tuesday voted down legislation that would have penalized gun owners who did not report to police that their weapons had been lost or stolen.

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Larry Hall and Paul Luebke, Durham Democrats, was intended to increase the reporting of stolen weapons. It would have charged a gun owner who knowingly failed to report a lost or stolen gun a citation for the first offense, and a misdemeanor for repeated offenses. Hall said the bill had the support of the N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, the N.C. Police Benevolent Association and police chiefs in Charlotte, Durham and Raleigh.

Several lawmakers spoke out against the bill, saying that it would not have increased the reporting of lost or stolen weapons and could have led to a criminal record for law abiding citizens.

"What we are doing is putting the responsible folks in jeopardy," said Rep. Pryor Gibson, an Anson County Democrat.

Lawmakers debated the bill for roughly an hour, at times emotionally.

Rep. Bill Daughtridge, a Rocky Mount Republican, said that if he lost a shotgun while sea hunting he would see no need to report it since it would be at the bottom of the sea.

But Rep. Deborah Ross, a Raleigh Democrat, characterized that as the kind of irresponsible behavior the law is intended to correct.

"Well, you know what? I care if he's lost his gun," she said, "because I care if a 10-year-old child finds it and points it at his friend and blows his head off."

House members rejected the legislation by a 77 to 41 vote.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated Rep. Gibson's home county.