National Republicans dive into N.C. gov race

And we're off!

Republicans today  launched the first TV ad in the race for N.C. governor, pursuing an expected -- and possibly effective -- strategy: Tying Democrat Walter Dalton to unpopular Gov. Bev Perdue.

The Republican Governors Association is believed to be spending at least $865,000 to air the ad in Raleigh, Greenville and the Triad. It labels Dalton as Perdue's right-hand man, and portrays him as a big tax-and-spender. The ad should be an early boost for Republican Pat McCrory, the former Charlotte mayor who is expected to be the favorite.

It also raises this question: Will the Democratic Governors Association jump in to support Dalton, despite the lack of trust between Dalton and the chairman of the N.C. Democratic Party, David Parker? Parker assured Dalton he would resign after a sexual harassment scandal at the party, but then went back on that promise.

Here's the script to the Republican ad:

“Walter Dalton is Bev Perdue’s right-hand man.

Now, Walter Dalton is running away from Perdue.

But, under Perdue and Dalton’s high tax policies, 40,000 more North Carolinians are out of work.

Unemployment is 9.7 percent; one of the nation’s highest.

The Dalton-Perdue new 15 percent sales tax increase will kill 8,000 more North Carolina jobs.

Walter Dalton can’t escape the failed Perdue-Dalton record: Higher taxes – job killing policies.”

Perdue temporarily raised the sales tax and pushed to keep that hike in place, but Republican legislators let it expire. Perdue and Dalton both support restoring it now. But, with Republicans blocking that, taxes aren't higher right now than when Perdue and Dalton took office.

-- Taylor Batten