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9:00 a.m. • 2-11-12

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Dole, Hagan race across state in final day of campaign


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Elizabeth Dole; Kay Hagan
Elizabeth Dole; Kay Hagan

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Democratic challenger Kay Hagan entered the last full day of campaigning Monday, moving throughout the state in an effort to secure a victory on Election Day.

Dole scheduled seven stops on an airplane flight around the state Monday, beginning and ending in Charlotte at a middle-school rally with Republican gubernatorial candidate Mayor Pat McCrory.

Meanwhile, Hagan, a state senator from Greensboro, met with voters at several morning events in Wilmington, New Bern and Goldsboro before heading to Charlotte to join Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.

Both candidates remained confident despite poll numbers last week that put the two candidates in a tight race.

A WRAL News poll released Wednesday showed Dole holds a 46 to 42 percent lead, with 9 percent of voters still undecided. A Rasmeusen poll showed Hagan has a 52 to 46 percent lead. And a third poll by The Associated Press-Gfk showed Hagan slightly ahead of Dole.

But Hagan, a state senator from Greensboro, said "the biggest poll" comes Tuesday night, and she expects to to talk with voters about the issues with 20 scheduled stops at voting sites across the state Tuesday.

"I'm ready to go to Washington to represent the people of North Carolina," Hagan said at a stop at Wilber's Barbecue in Goldsboro Monday.

The one-term Republican Dole is trying to avoid getting swept up in a potential Democratic string of Senate victories on Tuesday.

Hagan has said Dole is too closely aligned with President Bush and has sided with special interests during her six years on Capitol Hill.

At a stop at Raleigh-Durham International Airport Monday, Dole focused her priorities for the state, which include a strong economy, low taxes, funded roads and bridges and immigration.

She has also accused Hagan of being wobbly on the most important issues of the day, including Iraq and the banking bailout.

Dole said if Hagan is elected "she'll be Harry Reid's pocket as soon as she gets there," a reference to the Democratic Senate majority leader.

She has also questioned ties that she said Hagan has to Godless Americans Political Action Committee, because she went to a fundraiser at the home of a Boston man who serves as an adviser to the atheist advocacy group.

Last week, Hagan sued Dole over an ad questioning why she went to the event. Hagan accuses her of defamation and libel and says the spot is an attack on her Christian faith.

Dole said Monday she has no request about the ad and has said it doesn't question Hagan's faith, only her agenda and associations.

The event was not billed as a Godless Americans event, and other hosts included an ambassador and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee.

RELATED TOPICS: John Kerry, Barack Obama, Kay Hagan, Washington County

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Latest Comments
Goodbye Dole! :) No matter who wins, we will not miss YOU!

"I still want to know about the Godless America stuff. She has never addressed why she went." What don't you know? The event was not sponsored by the "Godless Americans PAC", it was attended by 40 plus others and and hosted by an advisor to the PAC. It was not secret and finally at least 14% of Americans are Athiests and that number is rising (larger that the African American Vote) so a candidate that neglects them or like Dole insults them does so at their peril.

This race presents a conundrum to some degree. Over the months of the campaign both candidates have run some ads that were downright juvenile and blatantly "silly" (and Dole and Hagen are NOT alone!) The latest, the "Godless" ads being run by Dole, begs the question of Hagen. Explanation? Other than clearly stating that she does believe in God and citing evidence to support that notion, which seems strong and irrefutable, how did she happen to attend a function sponsored by the "Godless" group? Bob Dole is correct... why not simply answer the question? What is the full explanation? I'd like to hear it. Nevertheless, in particular the first "Godless" ad run by Dole in which a voice appearing to be Hagen's (but which was NOT) stating "There is no God"... appears to have a clear malicious intent to deceive! Only after a clear negative reaction did Dole run another ad explaining that she did not question Hagen's "faith". Sure could not tell that from the first ad. (NOTE: I am INDPENDENT).

Bye, bye Dole!! Sleaziest campaign in NC history, and that's saying a lot. When she loses, we can point to her "Godless" ads as one of the main reasons for her loss. What a great country!!!!!

If Dole wins, she'll be a pariah in the US Senate because of her latest, shameful commercial. If she wins, she and we will long for the day when when North Carolina's senior senator was as high as 93rd in effectiveness out of 100 senators.

Enjoy those beautiful Kansas sunsets next year, Liddy!

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