Attention Fred Smith: Republicans are being outspent

Back in the spring, as he was running for the Republican nomination for governor, Johnston County lawyer-turned-developer Fred Smith made a vow: The Republican nominee for governor would not be outspent by the Democrat, as had happened in all recent elections.

Hey, Fred! Guess what? The Republican nominee for governor is being outspent — by a country mile. According to today's News & Observer, Democrat Bev Perdue is outspending Republican Pat McCrory by a three-to-one margin. The newspaper reports today that Perdue has raised and spent about $15 million compared to McCrory's $5 million.

Fred Smith, where are you when your party needs you?

In fairness, Smith probably meant, when he made that remark in a pre-primary interview with The Wilson Daily Times, that he would not be outspent by a Democratic opponent. Smith, a self-made multi-millionaire who was a more formidable and impressive candidate than I had expected, had the wherewithal to make that vow. He could pour his own money into a gubernatorial race to even things up. Only problem was that he didn't win the Republican nomination. In a crowded field of strong candidates, Smith finished behind McCrory, the Charlotte mayor who was a late addition to the primary contest. Both Smith and Salisbury lawyer Bill Graham had the personal wealth to match the Democrats' campaign war chest.

Where are they now? Perdue, who dodged one-on-one debates with McCrory, and seemed over-programmed and plastic on the stump, has been pounding voters with endorsements and folksy campaign commercials. McCrory risks disappearing from voters' minds as Perdue pops up everywhere.

Smith was right about one thing: It's next to impossible to win a modern statewide political campaign without a lot of money. He vowed his party would not be outspent in 2008. Pat McCrory could use $10 million. Fast.