A new poll shows the North Carolina governor's race is much closer than expected with Republican Pat McCrory holding a 6-point edge against Democratic rival Walter Dalton.
The survey released Tuesday is the first of the general election and shows Dalton moving closer to erase a double-digit deficit from two months ago.
McCrory gets 46 percent support compared to 40 percent for Dalton, according to a survey of 666 voters by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm. About 13 percent of voters remain undecided, according to the poll conducted days after the May 8 primary.
In early March, McCrory boasted a 46 percent to 35 percent lead on Dalton, who was in the middle of a primary contest against former Congressman Bob Etheridge, according to PPP.
The race is expected to remain close. A generic Republican-Democratic matchup earlier this year gave Republicans a 46 percent to 42 percent advantage.
McCrory's numbers are boosted by his strong favorability, 41 percent to 28 percent unfavorable. Dalton's numbers are level with 28 percent favorable and 26 percent unfavorable. In both cases, large undecided pools will give the campaigns plenty of room to work.
Inside the numbers: McCrory gets 17 percent support from respondents who labeled themselves "very liberal" compared to Dalton who gets 7 percent of the "very conservative" category. Likewise, McCrory gets 18 percent of the Democratic vote.
The big number: McCrory wins independents 52 percent to 29 percent.
Men favor McCrory and women are evenly split. A strong race gap is visible with white voters in McCrory's camp (56 percent to 33 percent) and black voters picking Dalton (66 percent to 15 percent).
By geography, McCrory leads solidly in the middle section of the state from Greensboro to Charlotte with Dalton winning the Triangle and Wilmington regions.
(One note: The poll doesn't include Libertarian candidate Barbara Howe, who can be expected to receive 2 percent of the vote.)
The margin of error is plus-or-minus 3.8 percentage points. Click here for the full results.
Comments
Made to order
May 16, 2012 - 5:49am — cooldelaThe second question was:
Have you seen Bigfoot this week? Over 70% said yes. 20% of those polled said Bigfoot rented a room from them. The remaining 10% stated that Bigfoot, although real, had moved to Mississippi.
The third question:
Do you think grits can kill fire ants?
63% responded yes.
15% responded no.
11% responded no but that if you added cheese the fireants would get so fat they never left the nest.
I heard that the Elon poll has Richard Moore in the lead.
666 Voters surveyed ?
May 15, 2012 - 5:50pm — RedHotPokerread what you will into that number by Public Policy...
You guys are correct
May 15, 2012 - 4:16pm — RevOfTruthThis poll, and everyone taken between now and vote time, is nothing more than a joke.
Mr. Perdue II is another loser and electing him means this state continues to make MS look like the elite of the nation.
Dem's can't do anything correct, ie: David Parker, Bev Puddin' Perdue, Jim Black, Sleasley and their list goes on and on.
Do yourselves a favor N&O, don't waste your time wasting our time reporting meaningless polls for the next 6 months, salt up your bath water now in hopes your wounds will heal by year's end.
Actually I'm surprised you even allowed comments on this one.
What percent responded with Question, "Who's Dalton?"
May 15, 2012 - 3:13pm — concerned53My hunch is that the PPP combined those that asked that question in response with the few that supported what's his name.
Heh, Public Policy
May 15, 2012 - 3:06pm — RootBoySlim66Heh, Public Policy Polling. Add 10 points for McCrory.
Another leftist poll
May 15, 2012 - 3:02pm — mrpoonMcCrory will mop the floor with Goober Dalton.The dems have yet to realize what 2010 was all about.It was about putting the libs far fr behind us.
A Democrook Poll
May 15, 2012 - 2:40pm — Notsurewhere_NCDalton is history. Does this hack/crony poll surprise anyone?
David Parker's vote ???
May 15, 2012 - 1:09pm — AgentPierceWonder how David Parker answered the poll question?