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Mayor Pat McCrory's television ads for his gubernatorial campaign began airing 03/08. Possibly acknowledging what some refer to as the "Charlotte curse,"in which the last 4 Charlotte mayors to run for governor or U.S. Senate have lost, McCrory is spending his ad money heavily in the 2 big 3s: the Triad and the Triangle.

Perhaps at a disadvantage, McCrory announced his decision to run 01/08, while the other 3 leading Republican candidates have been campaigning since early 2007. But McCrory, 51, could be more well known around the state. Charlotte's television market accounts for about 1/3 of the expected votes in the Republican primary.

Charlotte's long list of possible contributors could help McCrory as well, if he gets the support of the 2 big banks, for instance. In 1 event held recently, McCrory is reported to have raised more than $400,000, 2 times as much as he carried over from his mayoral campaign.