Right now the races for Senator and Governor in North Carolina are about as close as they could be, with Kay Hagan and Bev Perdue leading by two and one point respectively.
What's interesting to see though, is how the voters who are undecided in each of their races are stacking up for President. In the Governor's race folks who haven't made up their mind support Barack Obama over John McCain 53-30. It's a similar story in the Senate race, with the undecideds there going 50-27 for Obama.
This is the question that may determine who wins these contests: are folks coming out to vote overwhelmingly because of Barack Obama going to take the time to fill out the rest of the ballot?
If they do they're likely to vote Democratic up and down the line. Every rule in the book of North Carolina politics has been thrown out the window in 2008 and this is just another example of it: if I was Perdue or Hagan I'd be doing everything I can the next 18 days to tie myself to Obama, at least with new Democratic voters.
This is the question that may determine who wins these contests: are folks coming out to vote overwhelmingly because of Barack Obama going to take the time to fill out the rest of the ballot?
ReplyDeleteWhat I saw, at the early voting location I went to during the primary, were Obama partisans, who depended on endorsement notices handed to them outside the polling place. They filled out the entire ballot based on the endorsement sample ballots. If those groups continue to have a presence at voting locations, I think most voters will resort to the same practice.
In three of the Western Counties in NC the absentees and early voting are running 90% for registered Republicans.
ReplyDeleteWhere are the new polls? VA? FL?
ReplyDeleteAnd will you be polling people who have voted early?
anonymous: Where did you get your info re: the western counties and early voting? Thanks.
Apparently Perdue has been doing Robo Calls reminding people to vote for Obama, then straight Dem then local and non-partisan on the back.
ReplyDeleteSo Perdue's campaign obviously is seeing the same thing.
I voted in Winston-Salem ( Triad) yesterday, and had to wait in line 1.5 hrs. It was good though, because you could tell that about 85% the people there were most likely voting Obama, along w/ me. I also voted for Hagen and Perdue!!! It was awesome. A lot of older white people were wearing shirts that said" Carolina is Obama Country."
ReplyDeleteanon why are you surprised that 3 counties (and believe you me there are more than 3 in that part of the state) in WESTERN NC are having large Rep numbers? That is par for the course from my understanding of the region.
ReplyDeleteIn the Western counties, there is a very strong feeling they have been ignored and left by the state capital. When these counties were hit hard in 2004 by an act of nature, Easley did nothing to help them. In fact, he fought it all the way. Basnight finally used his power to get them help even opposing Easley.Basnight has a better image than Perdue or Easley in the West.
ReplyDeleteSo, what happened to the FL and VA polls? Anyone know? When are they coming out?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on which "three" counties in the west you are talking about. Some counties in the west have been Republican strongholds since the Civil War. IN some of those counties the numbers of registered Democrats is well below 20% of all registered voters. Other counties in the west have moved that way due to the influx of wealthy retirees.
ReplyDelete