PPP (8/20-23, likely voters, 7/23-27 in parentheses):
Bev Perdue (D): 43 (46)
Pat McCrory (R): 38 (37)
Michael Munger (L): 4 (6)
(MoE: ±3.3%)
PPP’s new poll of the open North Carolina gubernatorial race gives Democratic Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue a five-point lead over Republican Pat McCrory, the mayor of Charlotte. It’s a bit of downward drift from last month, but much more comfortable than their June numbers, which had her up by only 42-41.
This is quite consistent with Rasmussen’s polling of the race. The August 13 Rasmussen (which SSP unfortunately let slip through the cracks until now) pegs it as a six-point race for Perdue, 51-45, improved from 47-46 in the previous poll in June. No pollster (including SurveyUSA or Civitas) has seen McCrory with a lead since May.
PPP also polled all the races for the Justice League Council of State; Democrats lead all but two of the races (Ag Commissioner and Labor Commissioner). Most of the leads are pretty narrow, but incumbent Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper (seen as probably the likeliest challenger against the underwhelming Richard Burr in NC-Sen 2010) is thumping his R opposition, Bob Crumley, 48-30.
Man, if Cooper runs against Burr in ’10 it will be an absolute romp!
Les Merritt, Republican Auditor, is getting crushed. Steve Troxler is just barely behind in the Secretary of Agriculture race, Cherie Berry, Labor Commisioner is also barely ahead, it’s possible that if undecideds break for Democrats, that it could be a sweep of statewide offices this year.