The News & Observer asked four area political pundits -- John Hood, Tom Jensen, Gary Pearce and Carter Wrenn -- to share their reaction about Monday night’s gubernatorial debate. Here are their thoughts:
Tom Jensen, director Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning polling firm based in Raleigh: “Most Democratic voters are undecided in the race for Governor and I don’t think this debate did anything to change that. The frontrunners, Dalton and Etheridge, did little to distinguish themselves from each other. Faison was entertaining but is ultimately irrelevant.”
Gary Pearce, veteran Democratic strategist in Raleigh who blogs at Talking About Politics: “Etheridge won: smiling, at ease and physically dominating the stage. Dalton was too tightly wound; Faison, too combative. No disasters and no knockouts. With minor differences on policy, personality trumps.”
John Hood, president and chairman of the John Locke Foundation, a Raleigh-based conservative think tank that issues policy studies: “Bob Etheridge entered this last week before the start of early voting with a significant edge in name recognition. Walter Dalton needs strong debate performances and a statewide ad buy to close the gap. Perhaps his ads will be persuasive, but his performance in the first debate won’t do the job. Seemingly nervous and over-prepped at first, Dalton relaxed about halfway through but spent too much time ticking off past roles and random programs while Etheridge stuck to a simple education message aimed squarely at the Democratic base. Bill Faison is by far the most interesting candidate of the three, but interesting isn’t always the same thing as appealing.”
Carter Wrenn, veteran GOP consultant in Raleigh who is a strategist for congressional candidate George Holding and who blogs at Talking About Politics, offered the following superlatives:
“Strongest line: Bill Faison’s ‘65 percent of NC’s corporations pay no income tax.’
“Oddest line: Bob Etheridge’s ‘Republicans’ cuts in education caused unemployment.’
“Best attack (on Republicans): Etheridge’s ‘They’re tricksters. ...’
“Most honest answer: Cullen Browder asked Walter Dalton, ‘Back in 2005 you co-Sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act. Were you wrong then? What’s changed?’ Dalton said: ‘I was running in my State Senate District then. I need votes from a different group of people now.’
“Best question: David Crabtree’s ‘Is the will of the people always right?’
“Best move left (where the votes are in the primary): Bill Faison’s ‘There will be no fracking if I am Governor.’ ”
