RALEIGH, N.C. -- The wide-open race for North Carolina's lieutenant governor's post, in many respects, will be a referendum on the work done by Democrats and outgoing Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue.

And the three men vying to be the state's No. 2 executive are far from agreement whether Perdue did a good job in her eight years. The Democrat, who is running for governor, is barred from seeking a third term.

Republican former state Sen. Robert Pittenger wants to reduce state spending that he says Democrats including Perdue have unwisely increased. Libertarian candidate Philip Rhodes says as lieutenant governor, he'd do a better job protecting individuals' interests. Democratic candidate Walter Dalton, a state senator from Rutherfordton, wants to further his party's initiatives championed by Perdue.

During Dalton's six terms in the Senate, he has worked with other party leaders to draft the state's annual spending plan and pass legislative priorities.

As one of his party's lead budget writers, Dalton said he has demonstrated he has the expertise to lead the state through shaky economic times. He noted that while other states slashed their budgets and cut services during the economic downturn that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, North Carolina didn't drastically respond.

If elected lieutenant governor, Dalton said he would like to continue work on the party's education initiatives, such as raising teacher pay and lowering class sizes. The state needs to "continue to invest in those things that will build the future economy," Dalton said.

Pittenger, who resigned from his third state Senate term in May to campaign, said those Democratic initiatives largely have been failures.

He said there's no basis to justify increasing the state's budget by billions over the last few years. Pittenger pointed to the state's four-year public high school graduation rate, which hovers around 70 percent, as proof that the Democrats aren't effectively spending taxpayer money.

The Charlotte Republican said he wants the state to cut taxes and balance the budget, eliminate what he called waste and fraud in Medicaid and restructure government. North Carolina's tax rate has discouraged companies from locating in state while endangering small businesses, Pittenger said.

"The whole focus of this administration and the Legislature has been major corporate giveaways and incentives that haven't worked," Pittenger said.

Rhodes, too, said he wants the state to revamp its fiscal policy and quit giving tax breaks to large companies. He said he would also like the state to eliminate cities' and towns' ability to involuntarily annex county land -- a plan lawmakers showed some interest in this year but never made law.

But there might be little opportunity for either candidate to implement these plans if elected.

That's because the post of lieutenant governor, who is elected independently of the governor, is largely ceremonial. The position presides over the Senate, casting tiebreaker votes, and serves on some state boards, including two education panels.

But all three candidates said they hoped to use the position to help set the agenda in the state.

"Most people see it, as I did before I got here, that the lieutenant governor is kind of a vice governor who goes to funerals. It's cosmetic, it's just perfunctory," Pittenger said. "But in reality, the lieutenant governor holds the gavel, they control the debate, and that's a very powerful role."

When presiding over the Senate if elected, Pittenger said he will ensure that ideas from the minority Republican Party are considered.

The Democratic Party's recent dominance in the legislative and executive branch effectively has shutout Republicans, Pittenger said, because the party has not allowed an open debate of all issues.

Dalton said the lieutenant governor's role on the North Carolina Board of Community Colleges and State Board of Education, along with the ability to work on health care issues as Perdue has, will allow him to take a substantive role in the state's direction.

"As lieutenant governor, you can amplify (issues)," Dalton said.

Rhodes views his candidacy as an opportunity to influence policy and give his Libertarian Party a prominent role in state government. That party has never held a statewide-elected office.

"It's a place to influence policy, even if you may not be creating policy," Rhodes said. "If nothing else, you get the bully pulpit. You speak with a slightly louder voice because you're elected."