The election for governor of North Carolina proved to be tightly contested race; with Richard Vinroot the republican candidate gaining support in the weeks immediately prior to the election. Mike Easley had an early advantage, being the democratic incumbent. Easley was the better-known and better-financed candidate, which helped him to an early advantage. However, during the final weeks of the campaign the advantage swung to Vinroot as undecided voters were swept up in a republican surge lead by the momentum gained by presidential candidate Bush. With the gubernatorial race growing ever closer, the candidateâ€s stance on issues began to stand out as the determining factor for many voters. Thus, Democrat Mike Easley was able to gain an advantage not because of party affiliation, but the due to his stance on important issues, one important issue being education. So how did the numbers stake up?
