Editorial: Which path for McCrory?

Former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory has been waiting four years for a rematch with Gov. Bev Perdue. He probably had his strategy all figured out — until Perdue announced last week that she would not seek a second term.

Still, not much should change for Republican McCrory as he kicks off his bid to become governor of North Carolina. Whoever winds up being the Democratic nominee will face a Pat McCrory who is much better prepared for a statewide race now than he was four years ago.

McCrory entered the 2008 gubernatorial race late. Salisbury attorney Bill Graham, state Sen. Fred Smith and former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr had been working on their campaigns for some time. In contrast, McCrory reportedly decided to run only five weeks before he filed. He won the nomination.

But he ran a close second to Perdue in a big Democratic year. That strong showing and four years of making connections across the state have cleared a path for McCrory to the GOP nomination this year — and maybe to the office of governor.

The question is, what does Pat McCrory stand for? It will be interesting to see how he crafts his campaign message.

As mayor of Charlotte for 14 years, McCrory was hardly the kind of conservative that lately has controlled the state GOP. As Chris Fitzsimon of N.C. Policy Watch has pointed out, Mayor McCrory presided over a growing metropolis on a centrist path, pushing for tax increases, supporting incentive packages, advocating for mass transit and embracing environmentalism. Fitzsimon calls him “Mitt McCrory.”

Now McCrory faces the dilemma of choosing which path to take in this year’s campaign. The state GOP has taken a hard right turn, but the actions of the Republican-controlled legislature have not been universally popular, particularly budget cuts for public schools and universities. Perdue was not the only person who would have entered this race with political baggage.

Part of McCrory’s strength is his popularity among Democrats and independents. Does he alienate them by taking the path to the right, or alienate conservatives by sticking to the center, where his heart seems to lie — or his record, at least?

Maybe McCrory can accomplish what has proved impossible in the polarized politics of Washington, D.C. — lead these factions to common ground.

When elephants fly.