Raleigh, N.C. – Bob Etheridge continues to hold a small lead over Walter Dalton among North Carolina Democratic primary voters, a new poll from Public Policy Polling finds. Etheridge takes 26% of the vote compared to 15% for Walter Dalton, 5% for Bruce Blackmon, 4% for Gary Dunn, 3% for Bill Faison, and 2% for Gardenia Henley. The proportion of undecided primary voters has actually increased during March, to 45% in this new poll compared to 41% when PPP polled the state earlier in the month.
Etheridge leads Dalton in the Triangle and eastern parts of the state, while Dalton leads in the Triad and further west. Etheridge tops Dalton 47-5 in the 919 area code, 39-15 in the 252 area code, and 34-13 in the 910 area code. Meanwhile Dalton leads Etheridge 21-10 in the 336 area code, 22-2 in the 704 area code, and 23-8 in the 828 area code.
The biggest reason for Etheridge’s early advantage may be name recognition. 50% of likely primary voters are familiar with him compared to only 35% for Dalton. Nothing the candidates have been doing so far is increasing the percentage of voters with an opinion about them.
“Bob Etheridge has a small early lead over Walter Dalton thanks mostly to his superior name recognition,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But the most important number in this poll is the 45% of voters who are undecided. People aren’t really tuned in yet and just about anything could happen over the next six weeks.”
In the primary for Lieutenant Governor, Linda Coleman leads Eric Mansfield 26-14 with 59% undecided. For Agriculture Commissioner, Scott Bryant leads Walter Smith 17-12 with 71% undecided.
For Labor Commissioner, Ty Richardson tops the field with 22%, John Brooks takes 18% and Marlowe Foster 8%. And for State Treasurer, Janet Cowell leads with 34%, Ron Elmer gets 12% and 55% of voters are undecided.
PPP surveyed 505 likely Democratic primary voters on from March 23rd to 25th. The margin of error is +/-4.36%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Walter Dalton?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 19%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 17%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 65%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bob Etheridge?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 31%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 19%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 50%
Q3 The Democratic candidates for Governor are
Bruce Blackmon, Walter Dalton, Gary Dunn,
Bob Etheridge, Bill Faison, and Gardenia
Henley. If the election was today, who would
you vote for?
Bruce Blackmon………………………………………. 5%
Walter Dalton ………………………………………….. 15%
Gary Dunn ……………………………………………… 4%
Bob Etheridge …………………………………………. 26%
Bill Faison ………………………………………………. 3%
Gardenia Henley……………………………………… 2%
Undecided………………………………………………. 45%
Q4 The Democratic candidates for Lieutenant
Governor are Linda Coleman and Eric
Mansfield. If the election was today, who would
you vote for?
Linda Coleman………………………………………… 26%
Eric Mansfield …………………………………………. 14%
Undecided………………………………………………. 59%
Q5 The Democratic candidates for Agriculture
Commissioner are Scott Bryant and Walter
Smith. If the election was today, who would you
vote for?
Scott Bryant ……………………………………………. 17%
Walter Smith …………………………………………… 12%
Undecided………………………………………………. 71%
Q6 The Democratic candidates for Labor
Commissioner are John Brooks, Marlowe
Foster, and Ty Richardson. If the election was
today, who would you vote for?
John Brooks……………………………………………. 18%
Marlowe Foster ……………………………………….. 8%
Ty Richardson…………………………………………. 22%
Undecided………………………………………………. 51%
Q7 The Democratic candidates for State Treasurer
are Janet Cowell and Ron Elmer. If the election
was today, who would you vote for?
Janet Cowell …………………………………………… 34%
Ron Elmer………………………………………………. 12%
Undecided………………………………………………. 55%
Q8 When thinking about choosing a Democratic
candidate in the primary election, would you
prefer a traditional candidate that represents
the past of the Democratic Party — like
Governors Perdue, Easley and Hunt — or
would you prefer a future-minded leader with
new ideas?
A candidate that represents the past ………….. 21%
A candidate that looks toward the future……… 59%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%
Q9 In general, are you happy with the current
leadership of the Democratic Party, including
the Governor and legislative leaders, or would
you prefer a new generation of Democratic
Party leadership?
Happy with current leadership …………………… 34%
Would prefer a new generation of leadership . 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%
Q10 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 21%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 24%
Moderate………………………………………………… 31%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 17%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 8%
Q11 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 58%
Man……………………………………………………….. 42%
Q12 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If an
independent, press 2.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 92%
Independent……………………………………………. 8%
Q13 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 66%
African-American …………………………………….. 29%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%
Q14 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………………………………………………….. 14%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 36%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 24%
Q15
252………………………………………………………… 12%
336………………………………………………………… 14%
704………………………………………………………… 17%
828………………………………………………………… 14%
910………………………………………………………… 16%
919………………………………………………………… 28%
