Polls

Kissell Under 50 But Still Leads D’Annunzio, Johnson

| Tom Jensen

Header-poll-resultsRaleigh, N.C. –Larry Kissell is now under 50% against both of his potential general election opponents in North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District, but he has increased his lead against the candidate who led the initial primary, Tim D’Annunzio.  The establishment pick in the June 22nd runoff for the GOP nomination, Harold Johnson, has significantly closed the gap with Kissell.

Kissell tops D’Annunzio, 48-26, versus 54-38 the last time PPP polled the race in January.  Against Johnson, Kissell prevails only 41-35, after leading 54-39 five months ago.  The difference between the two matchups is that Kissell leads D’Annunzio with independents, 44-22, but only 34-31 over Johnson.  In a three-way matchup, independent Wendell Fant pulls more support from Johnson than Kissell, with the congressman taking 40% to Johnson’s 30% and Fant’s 14%.

With the negative publicity surrounding D’Annunzio’s campaign, including attacks from his own party’s leadership, his numbers have taken a dive.  His personal favorability mark, at 14-21 in January, is now 19-38.  41% say he is not fit to hold public office, to only 25% who say he is.  Comparatively, for Johnson, that is a 38-22 positive margin.  39% say their opinion of D’Annunzio has become more negative in the last month, with only 10% saying their views have improved.

On the job approval front, it is a case of good news-bad news for Kissell, whose own numbers have plummeted from 45-30 in January to 30-39 now.  President Obama, however, has seen improvement from 47-50 to 51-46 in the district.

 

“Whether this race is competitive for the general election or not will be determined by who wins the GOP runoff,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.  “If D’Annunzio wins Kissell will cruise to a second term but a Johnson/Kissell contest has the potential to be pretty competitive.”

PPP surveyed 400 NC-8 voters from June 10th to 13th.  The margin of error is +/-4.9%.  Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.

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? If you
approve, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.
If you’re not sure, press 3.
Approve …………………………………………………. 51%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 46%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 4%

Q2 Do you support or oppose President Obama’s
health care plan, or do you not have an
opinion? If you support it, press 1. If you
oppose it, press 2. If you don’t have an opinion,
press 3.
Support ………………………………………………….. 45%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 47%
No Opinion……………………………………………… 8%

Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of
Congressman Larry Kissell’s job performance?
Approve ……………… 30%
Disapprove………….. 39%
Not Sure……………… 31%

Q4 Do have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of
Tim D’Annunzio?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 19%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 43%

Q5 Do have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of
Harold Johnson?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 27%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 42%

Q6 If the candidates for Congress this fall were
Democrat Larry Kissell and Republican Tim
D’Annunzio, who would you vote for?
Larry Kissell ……………………………………………. 48%
Tim D’Annunzio……………………………………….. 26%
Undecided………………………………………………. 26%

Q7 If the candidates for Congress this fall were
Democrat Larry Kissell and Republican Harold
Johnson, who would you vote for?
Larry Kissell ……………………………………………. 41%
Harold Johnson……………………………………….. 35%
Undecided………………………………………………. 23%

Q8 If the candidates for Congress this fall were
Democrat Larry Kissell, Republican Harold
Johnson, and Independent Wendell Fant who
would you vote for?
Larry Kissell ……………………………………………. 40%
Harold Johnson……………………………………….. 30%
Wendell Fant…………………………………………… 14%
Undecided………………………………………………. 16%

Q9 Do you think that Larry Kissell voted for or
against the health care bill in Congress?
For ………………………………………………………… 31%
Against…………………………………………………… 46%
Don’t know……………………………………………… 22%

Q10 Do you think that Larry Kissell is too supportive
of Nancy Pelosi’s agenda, not supportive
enough of it, as supportive of it as he should or
are you not sure?
Too supportive………………………………………… 31%
Not supportive enough……………………………… 16%
As supportive as he should be…………………… 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 31%

Q11 Do you think Harold Johnson is fit to hold
public office?
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 38%
No …………………………………………………………. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 39%

Related Polls