As President Barack Obama unveils a new job creation plan today in Durham, another man mentioned as a potential contender for the presidency will host a bipartisan group of southern governors today in Roanoke to discuss growth and manufacturing. Among those expected to be in attendance at the Hotel Roanoke are Mississippi governor Haley Barbour, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue*.
Last week, the president’s campaign committee reemphasized that North Carolina and Virginia are critical to the president’s election strategy. Despite the importance of North Carolina, President Obama is in deep trouble there for three reasons: 1.) He barely won the state in 2008, 2.) In April, North Carolina had an unemployment rate of 9.7 percent–higher than both the national average and than the unemployment rate in Virginia and 3.) The state’s Democratic governor appears to be skipping the president’s speech at a manufacturing plant just a short drive from the capital to discuss manufacturing and job creation at an out-of-state forum with a group of Republican governors.
If Gov. Perdue feels more comfortable being seen with rising-star Republican Bob McDonnell than with the president whose coattails she rode into the Governor’s Mansion in 2008, President Obama is going to have a difficult time winning The Old North State’ electoral votes next year.
* I have been unable to locate Gov. Perdue’s public schedule, but as of 9:30 a.m., local news outlets were still reporting that she is expected to be in Roanoke today.
