Linda Daves, chairwoman of the N.C. Republican Party, says she will not bow to pressure from the Republican National Committee or John McCain to pull a new ad the state party has prepared linking Democratic gubernatorial candidates Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore to Barack Obama's controversial preacher.

"This is not about the RNC," Daves said, reports David Ingram. "It is about North Carolina, our values and two Democrat candidates who are out of synch with the values of North Carolina."

Caroline Valand, executive director of the N.C. Democratic Party, said the ad represents a return to the Republican Party's "Southern strategy" of using race to appeal to white voters.

"They don't have the money to put behind it," Valand said, "so they're using old, Southern, racial politics."

Daves said the ad is not race-baiting.

"The accusation of race-baiting is one of the oldest-used tools to try to drive a wedge between the people of North Carolina," she said.

Perdue's campaign issued a statement calling the ad "gutter politics that voters will see right through."

Update: Moore's campaign issued a statement — "Richard Moore stands by his endorsement of Sen. Obama and believes Sen. McCain's rebuke of the NCGOP's ad is on target."