McCrory popular, but voters have concerns

Raleigh, N.C. – -Pat McCrory is headed into office as a pretty popular figure, but voters aren't happy with his decision to remain employed at Moore& Van Allen as he prepares to take office.

McCrory has a 53% favorability rating with only 25% of voters viewing him unfavorably. He's predictably very popular with Republicans (82/8) and independents (50/31) but what really makes his numbers impressive is that he comes close to breaking even with Democrats at 33/35.

Nevertheless voters are not happy with how McCrory is handling his transition into office. 51% think that McCrory's continued employment at a law firm that lobbies the state represents a conflict of interest to only 31% who think it is not. And 54% think he should resign his job immediately to 25% who don't think that's necessary. McCrory was elected due to his broad support from independents but they think both that the job is a conflict (51/36) and that he should leave it immediately (54/30).

“Pat McCrory was elected because he promised to do things differently in Raleigh,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Our poll makes it clear he risks eroding the good will he's going into office with by the way he's handling parts of his transition.”

Only 31% of North Carolinians think the Post Office in downtown Raleigh should be renamed after Jesse Helms to 48% who are opposed. Both African Americans (14/61) and white voters (36/44) are against the renaming. Even among Republicans there's only 44% support for it, while Democrats are far more unified in their opposition (60%).  Independents oppose it 28/47 as well.

By a 37/27 margin voters support the decision to turn the Dorothea Dix property into a park. The 36% with no opinion reflects that this was not an issue on a lot of peoples' minds outside Raleigh. In the Triangle, where it received the most attention by far, there is 49/27 support for the park plan.

PPP surveyed 578 North Carolina voters from December 6^th to 9^th. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/-4.1%.  This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization.

Topline results are below.  Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve .......................................................... 48%
Disapprove...................................................... 49%
Not sure .......................................................... 3%

Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Bev
Perdue's job performance?
Approve ................. .35%
Disapprove............. .52%
Not sure ................. .13%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Pat McCrory?
Favorable........................................................ 53%
Unfavorable .................................................... 25%
Not sure .......................................................... 22%

Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Richard Burr’s job performance?
Approve ................. .32%
Disapprove............. .36%
Not sure ................. .32%

Q5 Would you support or oppose renaming the
post office in downtown Raleigh after Jesse
Helms?
Support .................. .31%
Oppose .................. .48%
Not sure ................. .21%

Q6 Do you support or oppose turning the Dorothea
Dix property in downtown Raleigh into a major
park?
Support .................. .37%
Oppose .................. .27%
Not sure ................. .36%

Q7 Do you approve or disapprove of the job the
General Assembly is doing?
Approve ................. .15%
Disapprove............. .51%
Not sure ................. .34%

Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Democrats in the North Carolina
Legislature?
Favorable........................................................ 38%
Unfavorable .................................................... 45%
Not sure .......................................................... 17%

Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Republicans in the North Carolina
Legislature?
Favorable........................................................ 33%
Unfavorable .................................................... 51%
Not sure .......................................................... 16%

Q10 Pat McCrory is currently employed at a law firm
that lobbies state government. Do you think
this is a conflict of interest while he prepares to
take office, or not?
It is a conflict of
interest ....................51%
It is not ................... .31%
Not sure ................. .18%

Q11 Do you think Pat McCrory should resign
immediately from his law firm job, or not?
He should resign
immediately.............54%
He should not......... .25%
Not sure ................. .21%

Q12 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama................................................ 48%
Mitt Romney.................................................... 49%
Someone else/Don't remember ...................... 3%

Q13 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ...................................................... 10%
Somewhat liberal ............................................ 17%
Moderate......................................................... 25%
Somewhat conservative.................................. 22%
Very conservative ........................................... 26%

Q14 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ........................................................... 51%
Man................................................................. 49%

Q15 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ........................................................ 46%
Republican...................................................... 34%
Independent/Other.......................................... 20%

Q16 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White .............................................................. 73%
African-American ............................................ 21%
Other............................................................... 6%

Q17 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29........................................................... 12%
30 to 45........................................................... 22%
46 to 65........................................................... 43%
Older than 65.................................................. 23%

Q18 Area Code
252.................................................................. 11%
336.................................................................. 19%
704.................................................................. 23%
828.................................................................. 12%
910.................................................................. 14%
919.................................................................. 22%