Hagan Leads Among NC Democrats

March 27, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Francis De Luca (919) 834-2099       francis.deluca@nccivitas.org

Civitas Poll Shows Ex-Senator Ahead in Possible Races for U.S. Senator or Governor

RALEIGH – The most recent Civitas Flash Poll shows North Carolina Democrats favor former Sen. Kay Hagan over selected likely rivals in the primaries for governor or U.S. senator in 2016.

In the primary for governor, Hagan was the choice of 43 percent of Democrats, with 31 percent picking Attorney General Roy Cooper. Three other previous officeholders (ex-state Rep. Kenneth Spaulding, former Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx) picked up single-digit responses, and 12 percent of respondents picked were in the “other/undecided” category.

Asked about prospective candidates in the Senate primary, 66 percent of Democrats said they’d vote for Hagan, 12 percent for State Treasurer Janet Cowell, with 22 percent other/undecided.

Hagan was defeated for re-election to the Senate in November by then-state House Speaker Thom Tillis.

“Former Sen. Hagan retains great name recognition among Democrats, giving her a big edge at this point,” Civitas President Francis De Luca said. “Her lead in a prospective gubernatorial primary is especially striking because Cooper has held a prominent statewide office since 2000 and he announced his candidacy for governor in early November.”

In the presidential race, Hillary Clinton headed the Democratic field, being chosen by 53 percent of Democrats, with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren the pick of 19 percent. Nine percent chose Vice President Joe Biden, 5 percent picked Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and 2 percent cited former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. Thirteen percent of voters were undecided or picked other candidates.

Additional poll results will be released and discussed at the morning session of our Conservative Leadership Conference (CLC) on Saturday, March 28. For more about CLC, click here.

The poll surveyed 400 North Carolina Democratic primary voters. Those respondents reached on a home telephone were interviewed by a recorded announcement. However, 18 percent were not reachable at home phones, and they were called and interviewed by live operators.

Text of selected questions*:

If the North Carolina 2016 Democratic primary election for President of the United States were today, and these were the only Democratic candidates on the ballot, who would you vote for?

53%	Hillary Clinton
9%	Joe Biden
19%	Elizabeth Warren
5%	Bernie Sanders
2%	Martin O’Malley
13%	Other / Undecided

 

If the North Carolina 2016 Democratic primary for Governor were today, and these were the only Democratic candidates on the ballot, who would you vote for?

43%	Kay Hagan
31%	Roy Cooper
4%	Kenneth Spaulding
3%	Charles Meeker
7%	Anthony Foxx
12%	Other / Undecided

 

If the North Carolina 2016 Democratic primary for United States Senator were today, and these were the only Democratic candidates on the ballot, who would you vote for?

66%	Kay Hagan
12%	Janet Cowell
22%	Other / Undecided

*Totals may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Crosstabs here.

About the poll: Exclusively for the J.W. Pope Civitas Institute of Raleigh, SurveyUSA interviewed 400 registered North Carolina voters who had cast a Democratic ballot in one or both of the 2014 and 2012 Democratic primaries. Respondents reachable on a home telephone (82% of primary voters) were interviewed on their home telephone in the recorded voice of a professional announcer. Respondents not reachable on a home telephone (18% of primary voters) were called by live-operators, who hand-dialed the phone, qualified the respondent, interviewed the respondent, logged the respondent’s answers, and remained on the line until the conclusion of the call.

For more information on Civitas polling, see http://www.nccivitas.org/category/poll/.

The Civitas Institute – “North Carolina’s Conservative Voice” – is a policy institute based in Raleigh, N.C. More information is available at www.nccivitas.org, or contact Jim Tynen at (919) 834-2099 or james.tynen@nccivitas.org.