This editorial appeared in The Charlotte Observer.
Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory should hold his head high when he looks back at his first try for higher office.
He did not win his bid to be the governor of North Carolina, and that's a disappointment. He did not banish the so-called Charlotte curse. Yet he ran a strong campaign with a clear, consistent message. His tight contest with Eastern Democrat Bev Perdue showed that a Republican urban mayor can garner substantial support even in rural corners – and even in the face of a Democratic tsunami.
Perdue won Tuesday by a 50 percent to 47 percent margin to become the first female governor of North Carolina. She won both urban and rural counties, something of a surprise, since McCrory, a seven-term mayor, targeted the state's populous urban corridors. He focused his campaign on reforming transportation and fighting crime.
To read the complete editorial, visit The Charlotte Observer.