Perdue won’t seek second term as governor

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — Democratic North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue says she is not running for re-election this year.

Perdue released a statement Thursday saying she won’t seek another four-year term because she believes a re-election bid would make it more difficult to find a bipartisan solution to fund public education in a divisive political environment.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE GOVERNOR’S ENTIRE STATEMENT

Perdue became North Carolina’s first woman governor in 2008.

She has faced poor poll numbers, continued budget troubles and a campaign investigation while Republicans took over the Legislature last year.

Perdue announced last week she would offer a budget this spring that would seek a sales tax increase for education. Republicans let a temporary sales tax increase expire last summer.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)