Former marathoner stars in Perdue ads

Beverly Perdue is attacking Pat McCrory on stem cell research.

In the ads, Sarah Witt of Raleigh says that she hopes stem cell research will help her recover from paralysis. In one version, she says that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate's support of research gives her hope. In a second version, she criticizes McCrory's stance.

"When I hear politicians like Pat McCrory say he wants to ban embryonic stem cell research, I ask myself, how can he be against hope?"

Witt is a magazine reporter and avid marathon runner who developed primary lateral sclerosis in 2004, a disease similar to Lou Gehrig's disease. She helped start the Magnificent Mile, a one-mile race in support of research into a cure.

The ad ends with text that says "Pat McCrory: More extreme than you think."

In a press release, McCrory said he supports adult and amniotic stem cell research.

"My mother had Alzheimer’s and I watched her struggle with the disease for ten years," he said in a statement. "That’s why I support stem cell research at places like Wake Forest University. These scientists offer us hope that one day, families won’t have to suffer as my family has."

Adult and amniotic stem cells do not come from destroyed human embryos.