SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Raleigh, N.C. – A month and a half after giving Republicans control of both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly for the first time in well over a century, voters in the state are tepidly optimistic things will get better once the GOP majority takes charge. 41% think the state will be better off with Republicans in the majority, while 37% think it will be worse off, and 20% think the status quo will continue. Independents are not unexpectedly cynical, with 34% thinking things will improve, 31% thinking things will get worse, and 30% thinking nothing will change. Republicans are, of course, looking forward to the switch in control, with 82% thinking things will be rosier then.
At the same time, voters’ views of Governor Bev Perdue’s job performance have ticked up slightly, and her numbers are the best they have been since April of 2009, three months after she took office. Her job approval rating now stands at 35-44, with slight improvements across the board since last month. Reflected in those better numbers could be that North Carolinians overwhelmingly approve of her recently proposed austerity measures. 50% support the government reorganization plan, to only 23% who oppose it. At 45-26, independents are actually the least supportive, but at 50-21 and 52-22, respectively, Democrats and Republicans are united in support.
Despite their slim preference for how things might turn out with Republicans at the helm, voters do not like the GOP legislators any more than their Democratic counterparts, nor do they like either group much better than the Governor. The Democrats have a 38-45 favorability margin, and the Republicans a 33-41. Republicans do, however, perform considerably better with independents and better with Democrats than Democrats do with Republicans.
“Voters support the reorganization of state government that Bev Perdue outlined a couple weeks ago and her overall job performance numbers are improving as a result,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “She still has a ways to go but she’s not nearly as unpopular as she was at the end of 2009.”
Perdue finished 2009 with a 27/53 approval rating, for a -26 spread. The -9 spread in her current numbers represents a 17 point improvement in the last year.
PPP surveyed 520 North Carolina voters from December 17th to 19th. The survey’s margin of error is +/-4.3%. 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.
Quesitons about the poll? Contact Tom Jensen at (919) 774-6312
North Carolina Survey Results
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Bev Perdue’s job performance?
Approve…………….. 35%
Not sure ……………. 20%
Disapprove ………… 44%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Democrats in the North Carolina Legislature?
Favorable ……………………………………………….. 38%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Republicans in the North Carolina Legislature?
Favorable ……………………………………………….. 33%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%
Q4 Do you think North Carolina will be better off, worse off, or about the same with Republicans in control of the Legislature?
Better off ………………………………………………… 41%
Worse off ……………………………………………….. 37%
About the same……………………………………….. 20%
Not sure…………………………………………………. 1%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Mike Easley?
Favorable ……………………………………………….. 19%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 52%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 29%
Q6 Last week Governor Perdue proposed a reorganization of state government that would merge agencies and implement a hiring freeze for state employees among other cost cutting measures. Do you support or oppose her proposal?
Support ………………………………………………….. 50%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 28%
Q7 Would you describe yourself as a liberal, moderate, or conservative?
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 17%
Moderate………………………………………………… 40%
Conservative …………………………………………… 43%
Q8 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 55
Man……………………………………………………….. 45%
Q9 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 …………………………………… 21%
Q10 If you are white, press 1. If African-American, press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 73%
African-American …………………………………….. 23
Other……………………………………………………… 4%
Full results (including crossover tabs) and press release: PPP_Release_National_1121.pdf