Dalton wants eight debates

Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton has challenged former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory to a series of eight debates as the two men campaign for governor.

Posted 4:40 p.m. May 14, 2012 — Updated 5:20 p.m. May 14, 2012

Mark Binker

RALEIGH, N.C. — Lt. Gov Walter Dalton challenged former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory to a series of eight debates this summer and fall as the two campaign for governor.

Dalton, a Democrat, says the two men should be able to lay our their "competing visions" for North Carolina.

"North Carolina is at a crossroads and the people deserve a straightforward discussion on the future of our state. I invite Pat McCrory to tell us what he stands for and commit to joining me at these debates,” Dalton said in a news release.

Dalton lays out a once-a-month debate schedule for June through September in addition to debates traditionally held in October.

In 2008, now-Gov. Bev Perude, who is not running for re-election, faced McCrory in several debates hosted by UNC-TV, WRAL-TV and other television stations. They also faced each other in a June forum held by the N.C. Bar Association and a September debate in front of education leaders.

No word yet from the McCrory campaign as to whether the Republican will embrace Dalton's proposed 2012 schedule.

Update: The McCrory campaign answers by saying, yes, they'll accept some debates but not all eight at once.

The Republican also took the opportunity to smack Dalton around for skipping Board of Community College meetings -- the Lt. Governor is allowed to send a designee -- and twist the knife a bit on the David Parker fiasco. The campaign said they'd announce debates on a case-by-case basis. And spokesman Brian Nick added:

"Walter Dalton has had a really rough few days since becoming his party's nominee for Governor. He has spent his time answering questions about the fact that his record and vision for North Carolina is a carbon copy of Governor Perdue's, and his role in the corruption and cover up at the North Carolina Democratic Party. Now in a desperate attempt to change the subject, he instead has highlighted his failure to perform his duties as Lieutenant Governor by skipping a majority of community college board meetings."

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