The Democratic gubernatorial candidates sharpened their criticisms Tuesday night, drawing more pointed contrasts with each other’s records in the second in a series of televised debates.
Former U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge heard his congressional record on trade and his tenure as superintendent of public instruction come under fire. Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton found himself defending his attendance record and his advocacy of Democratic causes in the legislature. Read the story here. And get the pundits' take on the debate.
Other headlines:
-- The calls for Democratic Party chairman David Parker to resign snowballed Tuesday, leaving his tenure short on days. Gov. Bev Perdue, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and former Congressman Bob Etheridge all reversed course to call for his ouster after trying to avoid the controversy for days.
The Charlotte Observer is calling it the "April Surprise" and the paper's cartoonist gets in his take on the candidates' reactions to scandal.
--Mitt Romney is attending fundraisers in Raleigh and Charlotte today. He'll also give an address in Charlotte as a "prebuttal" to the president's convention speech.
--Etheridge raised eyebrows in the first Democratic debate Monday by saying that his grandson's school is trying to raise money to pay for a new teacher next year. Here's the backstory.
--In North Carolina, Republicans are sensing an opportunity to take congressional seats from Democrats. An overview here.
