Raleigh, N.C. – While Bev Perdue has been slowly slipping the last few months in the public’s eyes, Barack Obama has been gaining in the Tar Heel State. More North Carolinians again approve of his job performance than disapprove, and he at least ties every one of the leading Republican candidates for president.
48% approve and 46% disapprove, slightly better than the 47-48 job approval spread PPP found for the president in February. There has been slight improvement across the partisan spectrum. Still more Republicans disapprove than Democrats approve, but not nearly the massive differential as for Perdue, and independents narrowly give the president the nod, 46-43.
As such, the worst the president does in early 2012 matchups is a 45-45 tie with Mike Huckabee, who led 47-46 last month. Obama leads Mitt Romney, 44-42 (47-44), Newt Gingrich 47-42 (48-44), and Sarah Palin 51-40 (51-41).
President Obama has gained with independents, leading Huckabee 45-36 after trailing 40-45 last month; leading Gingrich 45-27 (45-38); topping Romney 40-37 (41-42); and Palin 55-30 (54-33).
Romney has maintained his slight deficit despite seeing the largest drop in his personal favorability numbers in the past month. He was seen barely negatively in the previous poll, 37-39, but that has fallen to 32-41 because he has slipped a little with Democrats and seen a 23-point reversal with independents, from 45-36 to 30-44. Huckabee has also declined, from 43-34 to 42-39. He is the only one still on positive turf, but now only barely, as independents have shifted against him by 40 points, from 46-32 to 30-56. He still outdoes Romney because he is far better liked by Republicans (69% favorable versus 48%). Gingrich and Palin have held at respective 29-48 and 37-57 margins, but are still far-and-away the least popular of the GOP contenders with Tar Heels.
“Things are really changing in North Carolina politics when you see the Democrats in decent shape for winning the Presidential race in the state again but in a dire position for holding the Governor’s office,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.
PPP surveyed 584 North Carolina voters from March 17th to 20th. The survey’s margin of error is +/-4.1%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
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 …………………………………………………. 48%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Newt Gingrich?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 29%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 48%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mike Huckabee?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 42%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Sarah Palin?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 37%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 57%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 32%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 27%
Q6 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Newt Gingrich, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 47%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 42%
Undecided………………………………………………. 11%
Q7 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike
Huckabee, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 45%
Mike Huckabee ……………………………………….. 45%
Undecided………………………………………………. 10%
Q8 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Sarah Palin, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 51%
Sarah Palin …………………………………………….. 40%
Undecided………………………………………………. 9%
Q9 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt
Romney, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 44%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 42%
Undecided………………………………………………. 13%
Q10 Do you approve or disapprove of Republican
Senator Richard Burr’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 38%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 31%
Q11 Do you approve or disapprove of Democratic
Senator Kay Hagan’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .35%
Disapprove…………. .42%
Not sure …………….. .23%
Q12 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 9%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 16%
Moderate………………………………………………… 28%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 23%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 24%
Q13 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%
Q14 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 ……………………………………………….. 45%
Republican……………………………………………… 38%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 17%
Q15 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 75%
African-American …………………………………….. 21%
Other……………………………………………………… 4%
Q16 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………………………………………………….. 16%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 38%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
Q17
252………………………………………………………… 15%
336………………………………………………………… 20%
704………………………………………………………… 17%
828………………………………………………………… 17%
910………………………………………………………… 11%
919………………………………………………………… 20%
