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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.

How did Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Walter Dalton do in the debates? The News & Observer asked three Triangle political pundits to share their reactions. The consensus: Dalton didn't do enough.

David B. McLennan, professor of communication and political science at Peace College: “Walter Dalton had a difficult task in the debate – to knock down Pat McCrory and to create a compelling vision of a Dalton governorship. Although Dalton attacked McCrory on his personal income taxes, his salary as mayor, and a racially insensitive ad, the attacks seemed overly shrill and ineffective.

Four area political analysts shared their reactions to Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate:

J. Michael Bitzer, political scientist at Catawba College in Salisbury: “Having survived the 20-plus slugfests (aka debates) among the Republican presidential candidates, I had high hopes for tonight’s final debate. Monday’s seemed like the candidates were circling each other in the ring, sizing each other up for the next round. Then Tuesday’s debate came, and they started to throw some punches – nothing too devastating, but enough to show they were spoiling for a fight. So with the third night in a row, maybe we could have seen the gloves come off and go for the political version of Ultimate Fighter?"

The News & Observer asked four area political pundits -- John Hood, Tom Jensen, Gary Pearce and Carter Wrenn -- to share their reaction about Monday night’s gubernatorial debate. Here are their thoughts:

Tom Jensen, director Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning polling firm based in Raleigh: “Most Democratic voters are undecided in the race for Governor and I don’t think this debate did anything to change that. The frontrunners, Dalton and Etheridge, did little to distinguish themselves from each other. Faison was entertaining but is ultimately irrelevant.”

Gary Pearce, veteran Democratic strategist in Raleigh who blogs at Talking About Politics: “Etheridge won: smiling, at ease and physically dominating the stage. Dalton was too tightly wound; Faison, too combative. No disasters and no knockouts. With minor differences on policy, personality trumps.”

Andy Taylor is the press corps' favorite professor.

As chairman of the political science department at N.C. State University in Raleigh, Taylor is often turned to for an academic take on the day's events.

There are several reasons: Taylor is pithy, neutral and accessible. For television reporters in need of a talking head, he's a short drive away. And his British accent is a nice change-up for radio reporters in need of an expert.

Taylor attributes his readiness to talk to the press to his job.

"It's an important part of our job responsibilities at N.C. State as a public institution," he said. "One of our charges is that we're here not just to serve our students but also the greater community. I take very personally the responsibility to inform the public."

He's also a reliably neutral source, more likely to talk about the history or context of a news story than to take a stand on an issue. He says his students regularly complain in their course evaluations that they don't know where he stands.

For years, Taylor had an excuse: As a British citizen, he couldn't vote.

"I could honestly say I didn't have a dog in the fight," he said.

More after the jump.

Gary Pearce is the go-to guy for the press corps.

The longtime Democratic consultant is knowledgeable, friendly and accessible as well as a reliable source of pithy quotes on the current state of political affairs.

It's no surprise, then, that he was quoted 47 times in the state's major papers over the past year.

"I like being quoted," he told Dome via e-mail. "I feel like I've gained some knowledge over the years, and I like sharing it with people — just as I like learning from people who know things I don't. The secret to life is to keep learning."

A former adviser to longtime Gov. Jim Hunt, former Sen. John Edwards, Senate candidate Erskine Bowles and Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker, Pearce is the definitive Democratic insider. At the same time, he's not working for any current campaigns, so he's considered an independent voice.

"I'm willing to be more candid than are most partisans," he wrote. "I'm not spinning anybody anymore."

More after the jump.