The number of self-identifying Republicans in North Carolina is dropping.

The number of North Carolinians identifying as Republican has dropped from 35 percent in 2004 to 26 percent, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

"Of the large states Bush won by more than five points in 2004, North Carolina has seen the greatest drop in GOP identification," Pew's researchers wrote.

Bush won North Carolina handily in 2004, 56 percent to 44 percent.

The center interviewed registered voters during the first two months of 2008. Researchers found that, nationally, 36 percent identified as Democrats and 27 percent as Republicans.

Voter registration figures tell a slightly different story.

In North Carolina, the number of voters registering as independent has increased, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections. Democrats have gone up slightly and Republicans are static.

In 2004, 46.8 percent of North Carolina voters were registered Democrats, 34.5 percent were Republicans and 18.5 percent were unaffiliated.

As of Saturday, 44.8 percent were registered Democrats, 34 percent were Republicans and 21.2 percent were unaffiliated.

Lobbying limits sought

The N.C. Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform is surveying roughly 370 candidates for statewide and legislative office to see where they stand on campaign finance issues, including identifying those who drive tens of thousands of dollars into campaigns.

The nonprofit coalition plans to post the results on its Web site, nclobbyreform.org.

The coalition has taken a position on the five questions it asked the candidates. The coalition opposes lobbyists' solicitation of campaign money for candidates and does not want lobbyists serving on their clients' political action committees. The coalition says people who raise big bucks for candidates should be identified, political parties should be limited in how much they can spend on their candidates' campaigns and elected state officials should not be soliciting money for nonprofits.

"There's just too much of a chance of a quid pro quo in all of those [situations]," said Jane Pinsky, the coalition's director.

NCAA ads: no contest

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Moore wants the attention of basketball fans.

Moore spent $11,000 for ads on WRAL-TV during the NCAA tournament, one ad for each UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University game played this weekend, according to records of ad buys at the Raleigh television station.

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, the other major candidate in the Democratic primary, ran an ad during the Maryland-Boston College ACC Tournament game, spending only $1,500, according to the station's records.

Perdue ran ads during David Letterman's late night shows that followed NCAA games on Thursday and Friday. The spots cost $500 each.

Dems edge McCrory

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, narrowly trails Moore and Perdue in a new look at possible general election matchups in the governor's race.

Rasmussen Reports found in a recent poll of likely voters that McCrory trails Perdue, 42 percent to 45 percent, and Moore, 40 percent to 42 percent.

State Sen. Fred Smith, another Republican candidate, had a larger disadvantage against the Democrats. He trailed Perdue, 33 percent to 51 percent, and Moore, 34 percent to 45 percent.

The survey of 500 likely voters was conducted Thursday. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

Carville to speak

James Carville is coming to town.

The former political strategist for Bill Clinton, now a commentator on CNN, will be one of two keynote speakers at the Young Democrats of North Carolina's statewide convention.

The convention will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Research Triangle Park.

Carville is an informal adviser to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign. Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker, who has endorsed Obama, will also speak at the event.

Former N.C. Sen. John Edwards, who has remained neutral in the Democratic contest, is also scheduled to speak.

(Correspondent Karin Dryhurst contributed to this report. )