RALEIGH - A mysterious Democratic group launched a television campaign against Republican gubernatorial nominee Pat McCrory on Thursday, only a week after a similar GOP group drew sharp criticism for planning to help him.

Ads paid for by the Washington-based Alliance for North Carolina began airing statewide, criticizing McCrory for his positions on the minimum wage, pay raises for the Charlotte City Council and community college tuition.

The Alliance for North Carolina released no details about who its backers are, and IRS records reveal little. A spokesman from the Democratic Governors Association said it had given $500,000 to the alliance but did not say who its own donors are.

Only two weeks ago, the group went by the name Pioneer Majority and had a history of focusing on Oklahoma.

McCrory, Charlotte's mayor, denounced most of the accusations as false. Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, the Democratic nominee, denied involvement.

The ad campaign shows that out-of-state groups are increasing spending in North Carolina ahead of what could be the most contested fall campaign season in decades. At least three other organizations have laid out plans that could influence races for governor, Congress and president.

"North Carolina has got so many open seats, from the presidency down to the courthouse, that are competitive," said Gary Bartlett, the state's top election official. "Anytime you have that many competitive races, you're going to see this sort of thing."

Bartlett said the State Board of Elections is considering new rules for how outside groups disclose where they get their money. A complaint filed with the board Wednesday questioned whether one Republican group is "giving in the name of another," in violation of state law, because the donors don't always know where their money will be spent.

The Alliance for North Carolina has existed under various names since May 2006, according to IRS records. It is a so-called "527 group" with the stated goal of advocating issues, but its first ad in North Carolina focuses exclusively on McCrory.

"Will Pat McCrory's economic policies move North Carolina forward?" the ad begins.

It goes on to say that McCrory opposes a raise in the minimum wage, which he sometimes has, though he also has said he would support a raise under certain conditions. The ad also criticizes him for opposing the elimination of tuition at community colleges. McCrory has said free community college was unrealistic, adding that "nothing is free."

And in the most contentious claim, the ad says McCrory "supports pay raises for politicians, including himself."

The Charlotte City Council approved pay raises for itself and the mayor in June. A search Thursday turned up no statements by McCrory in support of the raises. McCrory's campaign said he opposed them. He did not vote on the proposal -- the mayor votes only in rare cases -- and while he could have vetoed it, doing so would have required vetoing the entire city budget.

According to the McCrory campaign, the ad is running in all major N.C. media markets except Charlotte at a cost of $300,000. An independent state committee set up by the Republican Governors Association last week said it has raised $390,000 to boost McCrory's own campaign.

State law requires the Alliance for North Carolina to file papers today disclosing donations of more than $1,000. Scott Falmlen of Raleigh, a longtime Democratic consultant and a spokesman for the group, said it would file a statement but that it was not available late Thursday.

'Shrouded in secrecy'

Two addresses for the group belong to a Mail Boxes Etc. location in Raleigh and to a law office in the District of Columbia.

"It's kind of shrouded in secrecy in this point," said McCrory spokeswoman Amy Auth.

Auth also charged that Perdue and her supporters "are intentionally trying to mislead North Carolina's voters." She called on Perdue to condemn the ad, which Perdue's campaign did not.

Asked in a brief interview Thursday whether she knew about the ad ahead of time, Perdue said, "No, no, no." A spokesman later released a statement calling the infusion of outside money "unfortunate" and calling on campaigns to "refrain from personal attacks and to focus on factual issue differences."

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