Washington Post

Posted by Aaron Blake and Chris Cillizza

North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue (D) is set to announce today that she will not seek reelection in 2012, according to multiple sources familiar with her plans.

Perdue, who turned 65 earlier this month, was set for a rematch of her 2008 race with former Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory (R), but she has been plagued by low approval ratings and faced some tough odds this year.
North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue (D) responds to Hurricane Irene last year. (Associated Press)

Perdue’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the North Carolina Democratic Party confirmed that she will make an announcement — though it didn’t specify what kind of announcement — in a statement around noon today.

Perdue has struggled recently with reports about campaign finance violations, and some top aides to her 2008 campaign have been indicted . Perdue has not personally been implicated in any wrongdoing.

Names that are likely to be bandied about as possible Democratic replacements include Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, former White House chief of staff Erskine Bowles, and former congressman Bob Etheridge.

Dalton appears to be the obvious choice, but Foxx’s profile is rising after an easy 2011 reelection win in a traditionally Republican city. And a former aide to Etheridge, who lost his 2010 reelection race, said he should be considered possibility.

Attorney General Roy Cooper immediately withdrew his name from consideration Thursday, saying he will run for reelection.

State Rep. Bill Faison was already threatening to challenge Perdue in a primary and is expected to run. He is already running TV ads.

Also, Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.) announced today that he won’t seek reelection, though it’s not clear whether he would have any interest.

Democrats argued that their odds in the race may improve now that Perdue is not longer running, provided that they get a capable candidate.

Republicans said Perdue’s exit shows that the state’s move toward Democrats in recent years hasn’t panned out.

“North Carolina’s lost ground to its neighbors, and now has the worst unemployment rate in the region,” said Mike Schrimpf, a spokesman for the Republican Governors Association. “It’s never been more clear that North Carolina needs a Republican governor who will bring fresh ideas and a new perspective to the governor’s office.”

Perdue was first elected in 2008, the same year President Obama carried North Carolina in one of his most surprising state wins.

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