Oct. 20, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Demi Dowdy (919) 834-2099 demi.dowdy@nccivitas.org
RALEIGH – The latest Civitas poll included questions on key political attitudes, including likely NC voters’ views of the state parties and U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, who is expected to run for reelection next year.
The text of the questions is as follows:*
First, do you feel things in North Carolina are generally headed in the right direction or have things gotten off on the wrong track?
2/15 3/15 7/15 10/15
42% 38% 39% 37% Right Direction
47% 48% 47% 46% Wrong Track
11% 14% 13% 17% Don’t Know
— — — — Refused
If the 2016 election for State Legislator in your area were held today, would you be voting for the: (ROTATE)
2/15 3/15 7/15 10/15
37% 37% 34% 39% Republican candidate
40% 39% 38% 39% Democratic candidate
7% 6% 11% 8% Neither
15% 18% 16% 14% Don’t Know
1% — — — Refused
Which of the following statewide issues is the most important one to you when you are deciding your vote for North Carolina Legislature? (RANDOMIZE)
19% Improving the state’s economy and creating new jobs
6% Holding down taxes
6% Reducing government spending
6% Fighting government corruption
11% Reducing healthcare costs
31% Improving public education
7% Focusing on moral issues and values
8% Controlling Illegal Immigration
4% Don’t Know
1% Refused
If the election for North Carolina Governor were being held today, for whom would you vote if the candidates were: (ROTATE) Pat McCrory, the Republican, and Roy Cooper, the Democrat? (This result was released previously.)
7/15 10/15
43% 41% Total McCrory
38% 37% Total Cooper
17% 20% Lean/Undecided
And still thinking about the election for North Carolina for a moment… In your opinion, would you rather elect… (ROTATE)
41% A Republican who will support the General Assembly’s Republican majority.
43% A Democrat who will act as a check on the General Assembly’s Republican majority.
16% Don’t Know/Neither/Other
1% Refused
Now, please tell me whether you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as President? (ROTATE)
Total Total Strong Smwt Smwt Strong Don’t Refused
Approve Disapprove Approve Approve Disapp. Disapp. Know
45% 53% 25% 20% 12% 41% 2% —
Now, please tell me whether you approve or disapprove of the job Richard Burr is doing as a US Senator?
38% 30% 11% 28% 17% 14% 31% —
Now I am going to read you a list of people and organizations active in politics. After I read each name, please tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of that person or organization. If you never heard of them, just tell me and we’ll go on to the next one…the (first/next) one is… Richard Burr
TOTAL TOTAL VERY SMWT SMWT VERY HRD OF/ NEVER
FAV UNFAV FAV FAV UNFAV UNFAV NO OPIN HRD OF
41% 28% 13% 28% 16% 12% 25% 6%
And thinking back to local issues…
Between State Republicans and State Democrats, please tell me which North Carolina political party is better described by the following phrases: (ROTATE)
Republicans Democrats Both/Neither (DNR) Don’t Know/ Ref. (DNR)
Shares my values and beliefs.
10/15 43% 41% 12% 4%
9/14 42% 39% 11% 7%
Offers better solutions for our state.
10/15 43% 41% 11% 4%
9/14 41% 41% 11% 7%
Is the party I would prefer to lead our state.
10/15 45% 45% 7% 4%
9/14 43% 42% 7% 8%
Is the party that would work to strengthen families.
10/15 47% 41% 8% 4%
Cares about people like me.
10/15 36% 44% 16% 4%
Thinking about something else…
Have you seen, read, or heard anything about members of the Center for Medical Progress talking to Planned Parenthood officials, and the resulting videos? (IF YES, READ OPTIONS)
51% Total Yes
16% Yes, I saw some of the videos
13% Yes, I read or saw news stories about the videos
14% Yes, I heard about the videos
8% Yes, multiple
47% No
2% Don’t Know/ Refused
And where was it, exactly, that you saw, read or heard the information about the members of the Center for Medical Progress talking to Planned Parenthood officials…
10% ABC
5% The News & Observer
12% CBS
13% NBC
28% Fox
6% Time Warner Cable News
1% The Charlotte Observer
1% News & Record
* Asheville Citizen-Times
1% The Fayetteville Observer
1% Star-News Media
1% Gaston Gazette
2% Daily Reflector
1% The Herald-Sun
2% Internet/ Web Site (Non-Specific)
2% Radio Station (Non-Specific)
13% Facebook
5% Yahoo
4% YouTube
4% CNN
4% Google
3% Word of Mouth
2% NPR
1% The Blaze
4% Other
6% Don’t Know
2% Refused
Now, thinking about international issues…
Do you favor or oppose President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran?
29% Total Favor
58% Total Oppose
15% Strongly Favor
14% Somewhat Favor
10% Somewhat Oppose
48% Strongly Oppose
13% Don’t Know/ Need More Information
— Refused
Thinking about some North Carolina issues…
The Virginia State Constitution limits legislative sessions to sixty days in even-numbered years and 30 days in odd-numbered years, and several other states have similar limits to legislative sessions… Should North Carolina also put specific limits on how long its General Assembly may stay in session?
47% Yes
33% No
20% Don’t Know
— Refused
To read the crosstabs, click here.
Civitas President Francis De Luca will be available for interviews to discuss the poll and issues of the day. To arrange an interview, email Demi Dowdy at demi.dowdy@nccivitas.org or call 919.834.2099.
About the poll: This poll of 600 registered voters in North Carolina was conducted Sept. 28-30, 2015 by National Research, Inc., of Holmdel, NJ. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered general election voters in North Carolina. Thirty percent of the respondents were cell phone-only users. For purposes of this study, voters interviewed had to have voted in at least one of the past two general elections (2012, 2014) or be newly registered to vote since November 1, 2014. The margin of error was plus/minus 4 percent.
Founded in 2005, the Civitas Institute is a Raleigh, NC-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit policy organization committed to creating a North Carolina whose citizens enjoy liberty and prosperity derived from limited government, personal responsibility and civic engagement. Civitas conducts the only regular live-caller polling of North Carolina voters.
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