(The Center Square) – Polling of likely North Carolina voters conducted last weekend puts former President Donald Trump ahead of President Joe Biden, and the economy and jobs as the top issue on the ballot.
Trump was ahead of Biden 47%-44% in the responses from 1,207 registered voters, East Carolina University’s Center for Survey Research said. The poll’s credibility interval is +/- 3.3%.
North Carolina became a reliable red state when Richard Nixon carried North Carolina in the 1968 presidential election. The only men to interrupt the streak are former Presidents Jimmy Carter (1976) and Barack Obama (2008), who notably did not carry the state in his reelection bid against Mitt Romney in 2012.
Inflation and the cost of living drew 35% of the top issue responses, with another 19% saying it is the economy. When combined, it puts people’s money in pocket far ahead of abortion (13%), border security (12%), and violent crime or public safety (7%). Health care (6%) and climate change (3%), or the environment, were also well back.
In no surprise for the governor’s race, Republicans who have chosen like Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in the Republican primary and Democrats favor Attorney General Josh Stein. The number of undecided voters among Republican voters is down from a November poll by ECU, 49% to 27%.
Head-to-head, the poll had Robinson and Stein tied at 41%.
The mail-in absentee ballot process began Jan. 19, in-person early voting started Thursday and Primary Election Day is March 5. North Carolina is one of 14 states with both Democrats and Republicans in primaries on Super Tuesday.
