Raleigh, N.C. – North Carolinians give Gov. Bev Perdue extraordinary marks for her handling of Hurricane Irene, which recently hit the state. 64% approve, including a 43% plurality of Republicans, and only 20% disapprove. As a consequence, her overall job performance numbers have jumped seven points on the margin from last month, which was already one of the best months of her term. 40% approve and 44% disapprove, her best net margin since April 2009, three months into her governorship. That was the last time she was in positive territory as well. Perdue is still low with her own party, at 57-26. All of the improvement has come with Republicans (from 7-77 last month to 16-67 now) and independents (38-51 to 42-44).
Perdue is also now closer to her likely 2012 rival Pat McCrory than she has ever been, trailing him only 45-41, half her deficit from last month (47-39) and a huge improvement from a low of 50-36 in March. While Democrats remain stubborn on their assessment of Perdue’s job performance, they are starting to flock toward her re-election bid, a sign she is addressing her main weakness. Her partymates, who make up 44% of the electorate, now give her 70% of their vote and McCrory only 14%, versus 66-21 last month. That is still down from the 88-9 reported by 2008 exit polls, when she slipped past McCrory by just over three points. Republicans side 82-8 and independents 56-31 for McCrory, both similar to 2008.
We also tested Perdue against a pair of other potential opponents in the instance that McCrory was somehow denied the nomination.. She would top state Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, 42-37, and freshman Rep. Renee Ellmers, 45-35.
“Hurricane Irene was a big test for Bev Perdue and she passed it with flying colors,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “These are by far the best poll numbers we’ve seen for her in more than two years. Now she just has to find a way to keep that momentum going.”
PPP surveyed 520 North Carolina voters from September 1st to 4th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.3%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Bev
Perdue’s job performance?
Approve…………….. 40%
Disapprove………… 44%
Not sure ……………. 16%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of how
Governor Perdue handled Hurricane Irene?
Approve…………….. 64%
Disapprove………… 20%
Not sure ……………. 16%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Renee Ellmers?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 11%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 21%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 68%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Pat McCrory?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 32%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 43%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Steve Troxler?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 15%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 17%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 68%
Q6 If the candidates for Governor next year were
Democrat Bev Perdue and Republican Renee
Ellmers, who would you vote for?
Bev Perdue…………………………………………….. 45%
Renee Ellmers ………………………………………… 35%
Undecided………………………………………………. 20%
Q7 If the candidates for Governor next year were
Democrat Bev Perdue and Republican Pat
McCrory, who would you vote for?
Bev Perdue…………………………………………….. 41%
Pat McCrory……………………………………………. 45%
Undecided………………………………………………. 14%
Q8 If the candidates for Governor next year were
Democrat Bev Perdue and Republican Steve
Troxler, who would you vote for?
Bev Perdue…………………………………………….. 42%
Steve Troxler…………………………………………… 37%
Undecided………………………………………………. 22%
Q9 Do you have more faith in Governor Perdue or
Legislative Republicans to lead the state?
Governor Perdue …………………………………….. 42%
Legislative Republicans ……………………………. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%
Q10 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 47%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 5%
Q11 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 11%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 16%
Moderate………………………………………………… 28%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 22%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 22%
Q12 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 54%
Man……………………………………………………….. 46%
Q13 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…………………………………… 19%
Q14 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 75%
African-American …………………………………….. 21%
Other……………………………………………………… 4%
Q15 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………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 42%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
Q16
252………………………………………………………… 10%
336………………………………………………………… 19%
704………………………………………………………… 19%
828………………………………………………………… 12%
910………………………………………………………… 15%
919………………………………………………………… 23%
