Raleigh, N.C. – Ratings keep dropping for North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, even in his own party. For the third month in a row, he has a net-negative approval rating- it’s at 35-53, down from last month’s rating of 39-51. 24% of Republicans say they disapprove.

The General Assembly maintained its 24% approval rating. 54% of voters say Republicans having total control of the state government has been a bad thing for North Carolina. State government Republicans as a whole have a 32% approval rating.

Favorability of both Democrats and Republicans in the N.C. legislature has dropped since August- both are at 34%. Democrats are still up in the hypothetical state legislative ballot 48-41. McCrory trails in match-ups against Democrats Roy Cooper, Janet Cowell, Charles Meeker and Josh Stein, even though the Democrats all have low name recognition. Just a third of voters think McCrory is calling the shots more in the state government than the General Assembly.

Only 8% of voters say they support McCrory’s 24-year-old former staffers receiving state government jobs that pay more than $85,000 a year. 73% are opposed and 79% have at least some concerns about the paychecks. 71% of Republicans say they have concerns. Voters age 18 to 29 were the least concerned about the salaries, with 39% having no concerns at all. This age group supported raising the minimum wage most.

Voters are divided about the proposed casino in Cleveland County; 34% support and 39% oppose. Support was highest at 47% in the 704 area code, which serves Cleveland County. 60% of respondents statewide said they support the North Carolina lottery.

“The DHHS salaries story is really hurting McCrory’s standing,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Even Republicans have some pretty serious concerns about what happened with that.”

61% of respondents said they support raising the North Carolina minimum wage to $10 per hour. 45% chose the Carolina Panthers as their favorite NFL team.

PPP surveyed 600 North Carolina voters between September 6-9, 2013. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 4.0%. This poll was not authorized or paid for by any campaign or political organization. PPP’s surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.

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

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Pat
McCrory’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 35%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 53%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of the job
Republicans as a whole are doing of running
state government?
Approve …………………………………………………. 32%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 57%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q3 Do you think Republicans having total control
of state government has been a good thing or a
bad thing for North Carolina?
Good……………………………………………………… 36%
Bad ……………………………………………………….. 54%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of the job the
General Assembly is doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 24%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 54%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 23%

Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Democrats in the North Carolina
Legislature?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 34%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 47%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Republicans in the North Carolina
Legislature?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 34%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 55%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q7 Generally speaking, if there was an election for
the state legislature today, would you vote for
the Democratic or Republican candidate from
your district?
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 48%
Republican……………………………………………… 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Roy Cooper?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 32%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 50%

Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Janet Cowell?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 15%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 14%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 71%

Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Charles Meeker?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 13%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 15%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 71%

Q11 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Josh Stein?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 6%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 12%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 82%

Q12 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Roy
Cooper, who would you vote for?
Pat McCrory……………………………………………. 42%
Roy Cooper…………………………………………….. 48%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q13 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Janet
Cowell, who would you vote for?
Pat McCrory……………………………………………. 43%
Janet Cowell …………………………………………… 47%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

Q14 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat
Charles Meeker, who would you vote for?
Pat McCrory……………………………………………. 42%
Charles Meeker ………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%

Q15 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Josh
Stein, who would you vote for?
Pat McCrory……………………………………………. 42%
Josh Stein………………………………………………. 44%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%

Q16 Who do you think is calling the shots more in
state government: the General Assembly or Pat
McCrory?
General Assembly……………………………………. 44%
Pat McCrory……………………………………………. 33%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 23%

Q17 Would you support or oppose a casino in
Cleveland County?
Support ………………………………………………….. 34%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 27%

Q18 Do you support or oppose having the lottery in
North Carolina?
Support ………………………………………………….. 60%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q19 Do you support or oppose two 24-year-old
former Pat McCrory campaign staffers
receiving state government jobs paying over
$85,000 a year?
Support ………………………………………………….. 8%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 73%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q20 Do the salaries being paid to these former staff
give you major concerns, some concerns, or
no concerns at all about Governor McCrory’s
leadership?
Major concerns ……………………………………….. 50%
Some concerns……………………………………….. 29%
No concerns at all ……………………………………. 18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%

Q21 Would you support or oppose raising the
minimum wage in North Carolina to $10 an
hour?
Support ………………………………………………….. 61%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%

Q22 Is your favorite NFL team the Atlanta Falcons,
Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Dallas
Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, New York
Giants, Tennessee Titans, or Washington
Redskins?
Falcons ………………………………………………….. 3%
Ravens…………………………………………………… 2%
Panthers ………………………………………………… 45%
Cowboys………………………………………………… 7%
Packers………………………………………………….. 4%
Giants ……………………………………………………. 2%
Titans…………………………………………………….. 0%
Redskins………………………………………………… 8%
Someone else/not sure…………………………….. 28%

Q23 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 48%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 4%

Q24 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or ve ry conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 9%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 15%
Moderate………………………………………………… 34%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 19%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 23%

Q25 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 54%
Man……………………………………………………….. 46%

Q26 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 ……………………………………………….. 44%
Republican……………………………………………… 33%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 23%

Q27 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 71%
African-American …………………………………….. 20%
Other……………………………………………………… 8%

Q28 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 65
or older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 15%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 22%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 23%

Q29 Area Code
252………………………………………………………… 10%
336………………………………………………………… 26%
704………………………………………………………… 17%
828………………………………………………………… 14%
910………………………………………………………… 14%
919………………………………………………………… 20%