RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (AP) -- Three Democratic candidates for North Carolina governor are ramping up their criticisms of each other in their second televised debate this week.
Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and state Rep. Bill Faison criticized former U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge during Tuesday night's debate at the University of North Carolina Television studios for his vote on a 2003 trade bill while he was in Congress.
Faison said Etheridge's vote harmed North Carolina's economy and sent jobs overseas, but Etheridge said the trade agreement with Chile and Singapore did help some state industries.
Etheridge suggested Dalton didn't speak out against the proposed Republican budget cuts before they were passed, but Dalton said that wasn't so.
WRAL-TV held a debate Monday night. Another debate is scheduled for Wednesday, the eve of the early voting period.
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