Raleigh, N.C. – The South had been Rick Perry’s stronghold, but recent stumbles have him faltering even there.  Meanwhile, Herman Cain was one of the early insurgent leaders in the Republican presidential primary late in the spring, but his moment in the sun did not last long.  His surprise victory in the Florida straw poll seems to have propelled him back into the lead in all three states PPP polled last weekend, however—leads he holds regardless of whether Chris Christie jumps into the race or not.

In North Carolina, Cain has 21% to Christie’s 19%, Mitt Romney’s and Newt Gingrich’s 13%, Perry’s 11%, Michele Bachmann’s and Ron Paul’s 6%, and Jon Huntsman’s and Rick Santorum’s 2%.  Without Christie, Cain leads Gingrich and Romney, 27-17, with Perry at 15%.  Just a month ago, Perry led with 35% to Romney’s 12%, Paul’s 10%, Cain’s 9%, and Gingrich’s and Bachmann’s 8%, so Perry is down 20 points, Cain up 18, Gingrich up nine, and Romney up five.

In Nebraska, Cain tops Christie and Gingrich, 27-19-12, with Romney and Bachmann each at 8%, Perry at 7%, Paul at 5%, and Huntsman and Santorum at 3% apiece.  Absent Christie, Cain leads Gingrich, Romney, Perry, and Bachmann, 30-16-13-10-10.

In West Virginia, Cain beats Christie, Gingrich, and Romney, 21-17-14-13, with Perry and Bachmann at 9% each, Paul at 5%, Santorum at 3%, and Huntsman at 2%.  If Christie does not enter the field, Cain leads Gingrich, Romney, and Perry, 24-18-16-15.  Perry is down 18 and Cain up 18 points from last month, with Gingrich up seven.

The most conservative voters are a 40-43% plurality of the electorate in these red states, and Cain has leads of nine to 14 points with them.  He also leads, though more narrowly, with the center-right.  Either he or Gingrich leads with the small group of moderates.

PPP surveyed 400 usual Republican primary voters in Nebraska and 300 primary voters in West Virginia from September 30^th to October 2^nd, as well as 400 primary voters in North Carolina from September 30^th to October 3^rd. The margin of error for the Nebraska and North Carolina surveys is +/-4.9%, and +/-5.7% for the West Virginia survey. These polls were 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.

North Carolina Toplines

Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Michele Bachmann?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 41%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Chris Christie?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 49%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 21%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Newt Gingrich?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 58%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Ron Paul?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 34%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%

Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Rick Perry?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 44%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 37%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 50%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q7 If the candidates for President next year were
Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Chris
Christie, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron
Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick
Santorum, who would you vote for?
Michele Bachmann ………………………………….. 6%
Herman Cain…………………………………………… 21%
Chris Christie ………………………………………….. 19%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 13%
Jon Huntsman…………………………………………. 2%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 6%
Rick Perry ………………………………………………. 11%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 13%
Rick Santorum………………………………………… 2%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 7%

Q8 If Chris Christie didn’t run for President, and
the candidates were just Michele Bachmann,
Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman,
Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick
Santorum, who would you vote for?
Michele Bachmann ………………………………….. 6%
Herman Cain…………………………………………… 27%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 17%
Jon Huntsman…………………………………………. 2%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 6%
Rick Perry ………………………………………………. 15%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 17%
Rick Santorum………………………………………… 2%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 8%

Q9 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 2%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 4%
Moderate………………………………………………… 16%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 37%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 42%

Q10 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 47%
Man……………………………………………………….. 53%

Q11 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………………………………………………….. 7%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 44%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 21%

Nebraska Toplines

Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Michele Bachmann?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 44%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 25%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Chris Christie?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 46%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 21%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 33%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Newt Gingrich?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 49%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Ron Paul?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 25%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%

Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Rick Perry?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 35%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 29%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 45%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 34%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%

Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jon Bruning?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 48%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%

Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Deb Fischer?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 16%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 66%

Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Pat Flynn?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 8%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 19%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 73%

Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Don Stenberg?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 46%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 32%

Q11 If the Republican candidates for Senate were
Jon Bruning, Deb Fischer, Pat Flynn, and Don
Stenberg, who would you vote for?
Jon Bruning…………………………………………….. 37%
Deb Fischer ……………………………………………. 14%
Pat Flynn………………………………………………… 6%
Don Stenberg………………………………………….. 16%
Undecided………………………………………………. 27%

Q12 If the candidates for President next year were
Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Chris
Christie, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron
Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick
Santorum, who would you vote for?
Michele Bachmann ………………………………….. 8%
Herman Cain…………………………………………… 27%
Chris Christie ………………………………………….. 19%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 12%
Jon Huntsman…………………………………………. 3%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 5%
Rick Perry ………………………………………………. 7%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 8%
Rick Santorum………………………………………… 3%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 8%

Q13 If Chris Christie didn’t run for President, and
the candidates were just Michele Bachmann,
Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman,
Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick
Santorum, who would you vote for?
Michele Bachmann ………………………………….. 10%
Herman Cain…………………………………………… 30%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 16%
Jon Huntsman…………………………………………. 2%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 5%
Rick Perry ………………………………………………. 10%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 13%
Rick Santorum………………………………………… 4%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 10%

Q14 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 3%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 6%
Moderate………………………………………………… 18%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 34%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 40%

Q15 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 47%
Man……………………………………………………….. 53%

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………………………………………………….. 6%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 39%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 27%

West Virginia Toplines

Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Michele Bachmann?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 46%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 21%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 33%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Chris Christie?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 54%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 11%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 35%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Newt Gingrich?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 50%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 26%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Ron Paul?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 23%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 34%

Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Rick Perry?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 38%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 37%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 42%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%

Q7 Generally speaking, do you vote in Democratic
or Republican primaries, or do you not usually
vote in primaries?
Democratic primaries ……………………………….. 0%
Republican primaries ……………………………….100%
Don’t usually vote in primaries …………………… 0%

Q8 If the candidates for President next year were
Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Chris
Christie, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron
Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick
Santorum, who would you vote for?
Michele Bachmann ………………………………….. 9%
Herman Cain…………………………………………… 21%
Chris Christie ………………………………………….. 17%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 14%
Jon Huntsman…………………………………………. 2%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 5%
Rick Perry ………………………………………………. 9%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 13%
Rick Santorum………………………………………… 3%
Someone else/Undecided…………………………. 7%

Q9 If Chris Christie didn’t run for President, and
the candidates were just Michele Bachmann,
Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman,
Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick
Santorum, who would you vote for?
Michele Bachmann ………………………………….. 8%
Herman Cain…………………………………………… 24%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 18%
Jon Huntsman…………………………………………. 1%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 6%
Rick Perry ………………………………………………. 15%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 16%
Rick Santorum………………………………………… 3%
Someone else/Undecided…………………………. 9%

Q10 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 3%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 4%
Moderate………………………………………………… 12%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 38%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 43%

Q11 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 46%
Man……………………………………………………….. 54%

Q12 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………………………………………………….. 6%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 20%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 44%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 30%