MORE POLL NUMBERS: N.C. is as hot as it gets in the presidential campaign

Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016 -- A double-dose of numbers showing that North Carolina remains one of the most hotly competitive states in the 2016 presidential campaign with 76 days remaining until Election Day. Latest numbers from two polls, CNN and the Monmouth University Poll, show the presidential race with Democrat Hillary Clinton holding an insignificant lead over Republican Donald Trump: 44%-42% in the CNN poll and 44%-43% in the Monmouth poll.

Democrat Roy Cooper, however, holds a significant lead over incumbent Republican Pat McCrory in the race for governor. Monmouth has Cooper ahead 52%-43%, while CNN has him up by six points, 51%-45%. Critical to Cooper’s lead is support he is getting from unaffiliated and white voters. CNN shows Cooper up 50%-45% among unaffiliated voters while Monmouth has him up 47%-45%.  While Cooper trails among white voters, most analyst contend that if Democratic candidates can capture at least 35 percent of the support of white voters, they stand a strong chance of winning.  Monmouth has Cooper at 42% of the white vote while CNN puts him at 40%.  Either one is, at about 10 weeks from the election, significantly above that minimum threshold.

The contest for U.S. senator, which just a few weeks ago was leaning strongly toward incumbent Republican Richard Burr has become surprisingly close. Burr leads his Democratic challenger, former state Rep. Deborah Ross, by a mere 2 points – 45%-43% in the Monmouth poll and by 3 points – 47%-44% in the CNN survey.