(The Center Square) – Inflation and prices, and jobs and the economy, are two choices that are first and third and account for 46.6% of North Carolinians' answer to, “Which is the most important issue in the 2024 election?”
The Carolina Journal poll of 600 likely voters Saturday through Monday had abortion in between the two economic concerns, with immigration fourth. The margin of error is +/- 3.99%; sampling was provided by Cygnal.
The results mostly mirror a national polling of 2,560. The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll says likely voters are more concerned about inflation (47%), illegal immigration (40%) and the economy (32%). Next were abortion rights (26%), crime (22%), climate change (18%), health care access (18%), government corruption (16%) and national debt and government spending (14%).
There were no revelations by the Carolina Journal poll in the headline grabber races. The slight edge of Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Kamala Harris is 47.2%-46.6%, doubling his September 0.3% lead in the presidential race. Democrat Josh Stein’s commanding lead over Republican Mark Robinson is 49.3%-35.8% in the governor’s race, igniting a 6.3% September lead into a runaway with a controversial CNN report having happened in between.
“The road to the White House continues to run through the Old North State in the 2024 presidential election, with Trump and Harris locked in a statistical tie," said Donald Bryson, the publisher of Carolina Journal and CEO of the conservative-leaning John Locke Foundation. "But what's equally interesting is the state's long-standing pattern of ballot-splitting. North Carolina has split parties on the gubernatorial and presidential tickets in six of the last nine elections.”
The trio of exceptions are Mitt Romney and former Gov. Pat McCrory in 2016 for Republicans, former President Barack Obama and former Gov. Bev Perdue in 2008 for Democrats, and former President George H.W. Bush and former Gov. Jim Martin for Republicans in 1988.
In the other nine Council of State races, Democrats lead for lieutenant governor, Rachel Hunt over Hal Weatherman 43.3%-40.8%; attorney general, Jeff Jackson over Dan Bishop 46.1%-43.4%; superintendent of public instruction, Mo Green over Michele Morrow, 45.7%-43.2%; and secretary of state, Elaine Marshall over Chad Brown 45.1%-42.9%.
Republicans lead for labor commissioner, Luke Farley over Braxton Winston 43.5%-41.7%; state treasurer, Brad Briner over Wesley Harris 43.4%-41.9%; state auditor, Dave Boliek over Jessica Holmes, 40.4%-40.1%; insurance commissioner, Mike Causey over Natasha Marcus 44.2%-41%; and agriculture commissioner, Steve Troxler over Sarah Taber 45.3%-38.4%.
Only Troxler’s lead clears the margin of victory and is not statistically tied. The rade between Jackson and Bishop is the only one in the country matching two U.S. House representatives in a state executive office race.
Republican Jefferson Griffin leads Democrat Allison Riggs 44.7%-43.3% in the race for a seat on the state Supreme Court.
North Carolina’s emergency authorities were given a vote of confidence – combining “great deal” and “some” – for ability to respond to natural disasters like Hurricane Helene by 66.5%. Only 29.7% had little or no confidence at all.
A question on favorable or unfavorable “opinion of the Federal Emergency Management Agency” went 48.3% unfavorable and 46.4% favorable. And 62.2% said disaster relief responsibility should be equally shared by federal, state and local entities.
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