The three Republicans took different tacks on a general question about the economy.
Bill Graham said that the biggest challenge is achieving new job growth, saying that North Carolina is behind its immediate neighbors in Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina. He said the state has lost more manufacturing jobs in the last five years than any other state in the country.
His proposals? Improve schools and roads, reduce health care costs which are "strangling" businesses and get a handle on immigration.
Bob Orr argued that the economy is in good shape, although there is a risk of a national recession. Instead, he said that the bigger question is how the state will respond to growth.
He said the state should plan to provide public schools and water suply to meet needs.
Fred Smith said that the economy is struggling, saying that consumer demand is down, with car sales are the worst they've been in 10 years. He also said unemployment is rising.
He also took what may have been a veiled shot at his rivals, saying that the state needs a "leader," not a "critic" (Graham?) and a "politician" (Orr?).
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