Raleigh, N.C. – With Charlotte a rumored frontrunner among Cleveland, St. Louis, and Minneapolis to land the 2012 Democratic National Convention, 58% of North Carolinians want the Queen City to land President Obama’s re-nomination festivities.

Democrats and independents covet the DNC by respective 79-8 and 50-29 margins, and even Republicans are split only 33-39.  Voters in the 704 area code, which includes the Charlotte metropolitan area, want to host the convention by a 64-24 margin, second only to the Raleigh-Durham Triangle’s 919 area code, which favors it by a 66-21 margin.  Those voters could have thought the convention is being considered for Raleigh.

Similarly, 58%, including more than 60% of Democrats and independents, and 49% of Republicans, think Obama’s two Tar Heel nominees to the 4^th Circuit Court of Appeals, Albert Diaz and James Wynn, Jr., should get a vote on the Senate floor as soon as possible, with only 16% saying no.  The judges are supported by both Senators Kay Hagan, a Democrat, and Richard Burr, a Republican, but their nominations, approved 19-0 by the judiciary committee in January, are being held up by the Republican minority, along with many of Obama’s other judicial and executive picks.

Meanwhile, Obama’s job approval rating has held steady in North Carolina since July, with 46% approving and 50% disapproving.  The state, traditionally red but the second closest state Obama won in 2008, now gives him his ninth best approval margin, tied with Florida and Michigan, of the 26 states PPP has polled in 2010, close behind New Mexico and not far behind Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Washington.

“President Obama has paid a lot of attention to North Carolina since getting elected, and his standing here is evidence of his investment,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.  “North Carolinians hope to see even more of him and reap the economic benefits of that investment in the summer of 2012.”

PPP surveyed 624 North Carolina voters from July 27^th to 31^st.  The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.9%.  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?
Approve …………………………………………………. 46%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 50%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 4%

Q2 Do you support or oppose President Obama’s
health care plan, or do you not have an
opinion?
Support ………………………………………………….. 41%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 50%
No Opinion……………………………………………… 9%

Q3 Do you support or oppose holding the 2012
Democratic National Convention in North
Carolina?
Support ………………………………………………….. 58%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%

Q4 President Obama has nominated two North
Carolinians to the US Court of Appeals. Do
you think the US Senate should take a vote to
approve or disapprove their nominations as
soon as possible?
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 58%
No …………………………………………………………. 16%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%

Q5 Who did you vote for President last year?
John McCain…………………………………………… 47%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 47%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 6%

Q6 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative?
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 17%
Moderate………………………………………………… 36%
Conservative…………………………………………… 48%

Q7 Would you describe the community you live in
as urban, suburban, rural, or a small town?
Urban…………………………………………………….. 14%
Suburban ……………………………………………….. 30%
Rural ……………………………………………………… 27%
Small Town…………………………………………….. 29%

Q8 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 50%
Man……………………………………………………….. 50%

Q9 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If you are a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 46%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 20%

Q10 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 76%
African-American …………………………………….. 21%
Other……………………………………………………… 3%

Q11 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 6%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 45%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 23%

Q12
252………………………………………………………… 12%
336………………………………………………………… 18%
704………………………………………………………… 20%
828………………………………………………………… 13%
910………………………………………………………… 16%
919………………………………………………………… 21%