North Carolina is one of several traditionally Republican states where John McCain just can’t quite seem to pull away from Barack Obama. The Republican candidate has been at least slightly ahead in six of the seven monthly polls conducted in the state and was tied in the seventh. But, his advantage has always remained in single digits, often the low single digits.
Eighty-one percent (81%) of Obama supporters are voting for their candidate with enthusiasm while 15% are voting primarily against McCain. Sixty-two percent (62%) of McCain voters are casting their votes with enthusiasm while 34% are voting primarily against Obama.
As always, the racial divide is sharp. In the Tar Heel State, Obama is supported by 98% of African-Americans while McCain currently earns the vote from 66% of White voters. McCain attracts 88% of Republicans while Obama has 79% support from Democrats (Full demographic crosstabs are available to Premium Members).
McCain is viewed favorably by 56%, Obama by 53%.
Nationally, the race between Obama and McCain is very close in the Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll.
As for the running mates, 55% have a favorable opinion of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin while 47% have a positive opinion of Delaware Senator Joe Biden.
Fifty-one percent (51%) say that McCain made the right choice in selecting Palin while 41% say that Biden was the right choice for Obama.
Seventy-four percent (74%) say that Palin is politically conservative while 46% say Biden is politically liberal.
North Carolina has voted for Republican candidates in nine out of the last ten Presidential elections. In 2004, George W. Bush won the state by a 56% to 44% margin.
The North Carolina survey was conducted on Thursday night. Several state polls conducted that evening showed very positive results for Barack Obama and it was one of his best recent nights in the daily Presidential Tracking Poll. It remains to be seen whether this was a temporary blip in the race or the beginning of a new trend leading to a significant advantage for Obama.
State polling was released last week for Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida,Georgia, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,Oklahoma, Oregon,Pennsylvania,Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
See Survey questions and toplinesCrosstabs are available to Premium Members only.
This telephone survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on September 18, 2008. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
|
North Carolina Trends: McCain vs. Obama |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Date |
McCain |
Obama |
|
11/02/2008 |
50% |
49% |
|
48% |
50% |
|
|
49% |
48% |
|
|
50% |
48% |
|
|
48% |
51% |
|
|
48% |
48% |
|
|
48% |
49% |
|
|
47% |
50% |
|
|
47% |
49% |
|
|
50% |
47% |
|
|
46% |
42% |
|
|
45% |
42% |
|
|
45% |
43% |
|
|
48% |
45% |
|
|
47% |
47% |
|
|
51% |
42% |
|
|
Favorable Ratings for Presidential Candidates in North Carolina |
||
|---|---|---|
|
McCain |
Obama |
|
|
Very Favorable |
37% |
45% |
|
Somewhat Favorable |
18% |
8% |
|
Somewhat Unfavorable |
18% |
12% |
|
Very Unfavorable |
25% |
34% |
|
Not Sure |
1% |
2% |
|
Rasmussen Reports - Electoral College Balance of Power Summary |
|
|---|---|
|
160 |
|
|
260 |
|
|
118 |
|
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
The Rasmussen Reports ElectionEdge™ Premium Service for Election 2008 offers the most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a Presidential election.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.
