WRAL wants the Democrats running for governor to participate in a live debate this month.

State Treasurer Richard Moore has accepted. Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue "has officially declined" to participate in the station's Jan. 24 debate, WRAL-TV reporter Cullen Browder told Dome.

The station has a Republican debate set for Jan. 17.

A Perdue spokesman said the candidates have already debated in Greensboro and have agreed to three more that will be broadcast on public television. The UNC-TV forums will be narrowly focused on issues.

"So far we have four other televised debates scheduled and a few other invitations that we're sorting through," said David Kochman, the spokesman. "We're just not going to be able to accept all invitations."

Dome was not surprised to hear the response from the Moore campaign.

"The voters deserve better than someone who hides behind a spokesman," said Moore's campaign manager, Jay Reiff. "The treasurer welcomes tough questions from Bev Perdue."

WRAL's plan was to air the debate on WRAL-TV as well as WJZY in Charlotte and WILM in Wilmington.

Update: Perdue's spokesman called Dome back. The campaign had previously accepted an invitation to a debate sponsored by the NAACP. That debate, set for Jan. 26, is set to be broadcast on WRAL, according to its organizers.