Because incumbent Governor Mike Easley was term-limited, the open-seat race was contested between Democrat Beverly Perdue, Republican Pat McCrory, and Libertarian Michael Munger.Likewise, Democrat Walter H. Dalton, Republican Robert Pittenger, and Libertarian Phillip Rhodes vied to replace term-limited Lieutenant Governor Perdue.Candidates Richard Moore, Dennis Nielsen, Robert Orr, and Bev Perdue took part in a forum on January 26, sponsored by the state chapter of the NAACP.[4] Moore and Nielsen appeared on the edition of NC Spin broadcast April 13 on most stations, but Perdue declined the invitation to participate.[10] The Raleigh News & Observer reported on January 9, 2008, that McCrory had filed the necessary paperwork with the State Board of Elections to run for governor.[51] When Hillary Clinton dropped out of the 2008 presidential election The New York Times mentioned Perdue as a potential pick for Obama's vice president."[54] While Democratic candidate Perdue took a hard line on illegal immigration similar to that of Republican Pat McCrory, Munger took a position more aligned with Barack Obama.The first general election debate between Perdue and McCrory was a forum at the North Carolina Bar Association meeting in Atlantic Beach on June 21.