At an hourlong debate in Durham, state Sen. Fred Smith, Salisbury lawyer Bill Graham and former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr worked to draw distinctions between themselves and McCrory, who has led most polls since entering the race six weeks ago.

For his part, McCrory stressed his strength in hypothetical matchups against the two main Democratic candidates, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and state Treasurer Richard Moore, and his experience on issues such as gangs and illegal immigration from running the state's largest city.

He also pointed to his car, a 1998 Acura that he bought used, as proof of his integrity at a time when political corruption is in the news.

"I've been in government now for 18 years, 12 years as the leader of a major city, and there's not been a hint of any type of corruption or ethical misdeeds," he said. "I still drive the same used car -- well over 100,000 miles on it -- that I was driving when I became mayor."

McCrory later clarified that he had driven two used cars while he has been mayor.

Smith, who has attempted to paint McCrory as a liberal, portrayed himself as the conservative in the race. He noted his support for lowering taxes, instituting mandatory sentencing for sex offenders and improving the state's road system.

"We've got to elect and stand for the conservative values that our party has always stood for," he said. "Anyone who has been elected in the past 20 years statewide on the Republican ticket has been a conservative."

Like McCrory, Orr stressed his crossover support among Democrats and independents. But Orr, who has led lawsuits against the state's use of economic incentives to lure business, drew a stark contrast between his opposition to incentives and McCrory's efforts to draw businesses to Charlotte.

"Pat thinks government creates jobs," he said. "I don't."

Graham, who has never held elected office, argued that he was the true political outsider in the race who could bring change to state government. He said that he would lead the state the same way that he ran a successful grass roots effort to limit the state's gas tax in 2006.

He said the problem was too many of the same politicians in major offices.

"When these people are running for office again, they're treating the political race as if it were a jump rope and it was their turn to take a higher office," he said. "This is not about turns."

Before the debate began, host WTVD released a poll by SurveyUSA that showed McCrory leading the field with 26 percent, followed by Smith at 18 percent, Graham at 16 percent and Orr at 12 percent.

The margin of error was plus or minus 5 percentage points.