“We just don’t know until all the votes are cast,” says Cochrane, a six-term state senator from Bermuda Run in Davie County. “There’s such a big undecided segment. But I certainly feel good about Tuesday.”

Meanwhile, Cochrane’s opponent, Andy Nilsson of Winston-Salem, says he expects to win Tuesday with his message of reform for taxes, public schools and transportation.

“I think it’s time for new leadership in state politics and new solutions to problems confronting our state,” Nilsson says.

Cochrane has hit cable television airways with an advertisement, and former Gov. Jim Martin also has endorsed her on television. She has some radio spots and mailings, while taking her campaign from the coast to the mountains, attending club meetings, county conventions, Lincoln Day dinners, fund-raisers, forums, rallies and speaking engagements.

“You just keep doing the things you’ve been doing,” she says of the final days before the primary.

Cochrane has served continuously in the General Assembly for 20 years, first collecting four terms in the N.C. House. Her 38th Senate District includes all of Davie County and portions of Rowan, Davidson and Forsyth counties.

In appearances and interviews, Cochrane has said she views the lieutenant governor’s job as an advocate for the people. She particularly wants to advocate for education, the elderly and jobs, she says.

Cochrane touts her legislative record against tax increases, for tax cuts and for business. She is a former teacher. In the legislature, she is former Senate minority whip and Senate minority leader.

Nilsson, 33, is minority owner in a lampshade and lighting fixtures business, which has offices in Winston-Salem and a manufacturing facility in High Point. He lost a Republican primary for a state Senate seat in 1992 by 15 votes.

In 1994, he served as a field representative for Richard Burr’s congressional campaign. In 1996, Nilsson worked as political director for Republican Richard Vinroot’s campaign for governor. That same year, Nilsson established the Republican Leadership Council of North Carolina.

Republican activists within the council agree that the party “should be a big tent” and that social issues should not be used to determine its platform, Nilsson says. That doesn’t mean he should be labeled a moderate, Nilsson says.

On guns, for example, Nilsson says he is a National Rifle Association member who opposes any more gun control.

“I’m very conservative when it comes to guns,” Nilsson says, adding that he’s conservative about the size of government and taxes. He also contends that businessmen’s interests have been under-represented in state government.

But Nilsson adds that he strongly believes in a separation of church and state, as outlined in the Constitution. In the Republican Party, Nilsson sees an overemphasis on issues that divide the party. The GOP platform should emphasize the issues that unite Republicans, he says.

As part of his tax reform message, Nilsson proposes a “tax menu” that would allow taxpayers to earmark 10 percent of their taxes for the state government function of their choice. He also speaks for cutting the corporate income tax by a point within a year and two points after that.

As an educational reform, Nilsson proposes doing away with teacher tenure.

On transportation, Nilsson favors completing the maintenance schedule portion of the Transportation Improvement Program in three years. The governor and General Assembly have to stop raiding the Highway Trust Fund, especially the maintenance portion, Nilsson says.

Despite her long history in the General Assembly, Nilsson says, Cochrane is “no better known than I am” outside her district.

Referring to past political contributions to her campaign, Nilsson charges that Cochrane spends more time representing special interests such as rest home operators and chiropractors than she does regular people.

Cochrane says Nilsson has run a negative campaign against her since last August and that she has refused to use that tactic.