There are two ways to keep score in politics: polls and money.

By the money measure, Democrat Richard Moore and Republican Bill Graham should be the leading candidates for Governor in 2008.

Moore has raised $1.3 million to Beverly Perdue’s $1 million and Roy Cooper’s $760,000.

Graham reportedly is spending $1 million of his own money on a televised campaign against the gas tax. That should lead Sue Myrick’s $680,000 and Fred Smith’s $433,000.

Here is the question: Have Graham’s ads worked? Will GOP primary polls show that the $1 million campaign (if it’s really that much) has bought him a lead?

Moore is running TV ads too. Public service ads that supposedly are related to his duties as State Treasurer.

Have those ads bought him a lead?

Public-service ads worked for Mike Easley in 2000. I saw it first hand, because I ran Dennis Wicker’s unsuccessful primary campaign against Easley.

I don’t pretend to understand Republican primary politics.

But, as for the Democrats, my sense is that Moore is running the most aggressive campaign. Perdue and Cooper may need a wakeup call.

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