Raleigh, N.C. – The Atlanta Braves are far-and-away North Carolinians’ favorite baseball team, with 36% choosing them over seven other named Major League Baseball clubs.  The Braves appeared for a long time on the TBS network in the state.  Atlanta is also closer to some parts of North Carolina than Washington, D.C., or Baltimore.  But despite parts of the state residing in both the Nationals’ and Orioles’ media markets, only 4% cheer primarily for the O’s and 1% for the Nats.  The same 1% like the Tampa Bay Rays, whose AAA farm club is the Durham Bulls.  Taking a distant second behind the Braves are the New York Yankees, with 15%, followed by 10% who root for their bitter rivals, the Boston Red Sox.  The state has seen an influx of Northern immigration in the last two decades, and these two teams’ recent World Series championships have created larger national bandwagons.  The Chicago Cubs, who have long appeared on WGN stations in the state, and the Cincinnati Reds, whose media market includes some western parts of the state, each claim 3% of fans.  27% root for someone else.

“Perhaps nothing reflects the changing population of North Carolina more than the fact that the Red Sox and Yankees account for two of the three most popular baseball teams in the state,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.

Though he declared his interest in challenging Brad Miller in the 13^th congressional district since this poll was in the field, former U.S. Attorney George Holding would start out behind incumbent Attorney General Roy Cooper if he instead ran in that race.  Cooper leads 40-29, with 31% undecided.  Part of Cooper’s advantage is that Holding is almost unknown, despite leading high-profile prosecutions of former Governor Mike Easley and former Senator John Edwards.  Only 22% can express an opinion of Holding, with 5% favorable and 17% unfavorable. 

55% are glad the state has the lottery, and 29% wish there was not one.  Republicans are least glad, 47-38, and Democrats most, 64-22.

PPP surveyed 651 North Carolina voters from July 7^th to 10^th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.8%. 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 have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Roy Cooper?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 23%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 20%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 57%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of George Holding?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 5%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 17%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 79%

Q3 If the candidates for Attorney General next year
were Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican
George Holding, who would you vote for?
Roy Cooper…………………………………………….. 40%
George Holding……………………………………….. 29%
Undecided………………………………………………. 31%

Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Richard Burr’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .35%
Disapprove…………. .39%
Not sure …………….. .26%

Q5 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Kay
Hagan’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .38%
Disapprove…………. .41%
Not sure …………….. .21%

Q6 Are you glad that North Carolina has the
lottery, or do you wish it didn’t?
Glad NC has the lottery…………………………….. 55%
Wish it didn’t …………………………………………… 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%

Q7 What is your favorite Major League Baseball
team: the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles,
Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati
Reds, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays,
Washington Nationals, or someone else?
Braves …………………………………………………… 36%
O’s ………………………………………………………… 4%
Red Sox…………………………………………………. 10%
Cubs ……………………………………………………… 3%
Reds ……………………………………………………… 3%
Yankees …………………………………………………. 15%
Rays ……………………………………………………… 1%
Nats ………………………………………………………. 1%
Someone else…………………………………………. 27%

Q8 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 47%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 5%

Q9 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 9%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 16%
Moderate………………………………………………… 30%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 25%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 20%

Q10 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 54%
Man……………………………………………………….. 46%

Q11 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……………………………………………… 33%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 21%

Q12 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 73%
African-American …………………………………….. 21%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%

Q13 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%

Q14
252………………………………………………………… 12%
336………………………………………………………… 21%
704………………………………………………………… 17%
828………………………………………………………… 13%
910………………………………………………………… 15%
919………………………………………………………… 23%