New Elon Poll Shows McCrory Ahead in NC Gov. Race

New Elon Poll Shows McCrory Ahead in NC Gov. Race

September 4, 2012 | Audrey Fannin

A survey of North Carolina voters gives Republican Pat McCrory a sizeable lead over Walter Dalton in the race for governor. The latest numbers from the Elon University Poll show 52% of respondents would vote for McCrory, the former Charlotte mayor, while Dalton, the current lieutenant governor, would carry 37% of the vote. Eleven percent of those surveyed remain undecided. The telephone survey of 1,089 likely voters was conducted last week. Both men are vying to succeed Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue, who announced earlier this year that she would not seek a second term. Perdue defeated McCrory to capture the state's top office in 2008.

The Elon University Poll also found North Carolina voters about evenly split on how they feel about the presidential candidates. The poll found that 42% of respondents said that the phrase 'can get things done' better described Governor Mitt Romney, while the same percentage said that the phrase 'can bring people together' better described President Barack Obama. Forty-two percent of the respondents said that 'strong leader' better described Romney. When asked about the phrase 'shares my values,' an equal number of people - 42% each - said that applied to Obama and Romney.