(The Center Square) – Results in a national poll released this week by The Center Square mirror results from statewide polls in North Carolina released just more than three weeks ago.
Most feel America is not headed in the right direction, though approval of second-term Republican President Donald Trump runs about an even 50-50.
The Center Square poll, conducted through Noble Predictive Insights, measured responses from 2,565 registered voters nationwide. It was conducted Oct. 2-6 and carries a margin of error of +/- 2%.
Released on Sept. 17 was a sampling from High Point University conducted Aug. 27-Sept. 11 among 792 registered voters. Released on Sept. 18 was analysis from the Carolina Journal conducted Sept. 14-15 among 600 likely voters.
The Center Square poll respondents say the country is headed in the wrong direction (55%) more than they say it is in the right direction (36%). The Carolina Journal poll had 53.7% wrong and 42.3% right; and the High Point poll had it 56% wrong and 36% right.
For Trump, approval was 48% and disapproval 50% in The Center Square sampling. The Carolina Journal had him with 49.4% approval and 49% disapproval. High Point’s measure was 43% approve and 48% disapprove.
Consumers’ pocketbooks and financial security rates high, as is usual of most polls. Two of the polls measured similarly; results at the top were not.
The Center Square asked the most important issues, and the leaders were inflation/price increases (39%), health care (30%), and economy/jobs (28%). The Carolina Journal asked about the top issue influencing the vote for a U.S. Senate seat in the 2026 midterms and the leaders were cost of living/inflation (29.1%) followed by political party of candidate (17.9%) and immigration/border security (10.3%).
North Carolina’s senatorial race to succeed Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., is projected to be the most expensive in American history and possibly top $1 billion. Former two-term Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is up against Republican Michael Whatley, the former chairman of both the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party.
