Legislaure: Thank heavens for gerrymandering

If the legislature had not drawn lines to put themselves in bullet proof districts, they could be in big trouble in November.

The legislature has an approval rating of only 16 percent, with 54 percent voicing disapproval and 30 percent not sure, according to Public Policy Polling, a Democratic leaning firm based in Raleigh. By comparison, Gov. Bev Perdue is Miss Popularity.

It doesn't matter much if the lawmakers are Republicans or Democrats – it's a pox on both of your houses. The favorable rating for Republican legislators is 33 percent and unfavorable 47 percent with 20 percent uncertain. The favorable rating for Democrats is 35 percent and unfavorable rating is 45 percent with 20 percent uncertain.

If the election were held today, 46 percent would vote Democratic and 44 percent would vote Republican and 10 percent are not sure.

The polling firm notes this is a huge shift from 2010, when the Republicans took control of the legislature, when GOP candidates had an 11-point advantage over Democrats. But pollster Tom Jensen notes that with Republicans drawing more favorable lines, the change in voter opinion “probably translates to winning back a handful of seats.''

The survey of 981 likely North Carolina voters was conducted Sept. 27-31 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.