The other GOP candidates had mixed reactions to Pat McCrory's announcement.
State Sen. Fred Smith, who was previously the frontrunner in most polls, went on the attack, saying that McCrory is a "big government person," Victoria Cherrie reports.
"I know that he's a tax and spend liberal and probably ought to be in the other party but we're going to see if that's the type of person and philosophy our party wants to choose," he said.
Salisbury attorney Bill Graham, whose hometown is in the same media market as McCrory, welcomed him to the race and said he was not threatened.
"Simply being from a piece of geography doesn't mean you own that electorate," Graham said. "I'm going to take the same message to the people of Charlotte."
Former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr said he was concerned that McCrory's entry into the race would ensure a runoff in the Republican primary.
"The two top vote-getters will continue fighting it out and spending money trying to get the nomination while the Democrat nominee will be healing the wounds and restocking the treasury," he said. "It automatically puts the Republican nominee further behind."
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