Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory's lead over Democrat Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton has shrunk to 6 points, 46 percent to 40 percent.

The last time Public Policy Polling tracked the match-up, McCrory lead by 15 points, 50 to 35. But that was in January, when Gov. Bev Perdue announced she would not run for a second term.

Now that the field has been set for the general election, McCrory and Dalton aren't wasting any time getting at each other.

Dalton challenged McCrory to a series of eight debates on Monday. McCrory tentatively accepted, but also took the opportunity to link Dalton with Perdue and the Democrats, who are having a great deal of troubles this election cycle.

McCrory still has the stronger position in the race, though, with more money, and a head start on Dalton, who was running for another term as lieutenant governor, but switched gears to the governor's race when Perdue said she wouldn't run

Read the full results here.