Latest PPP poll shows race tightening in NC presidential primary

PPP’s newest North Carolina poll finds the Democratic Presidential race in the state the closest it’s been yet. Joe Biden leads with 25% to 16% for Bernie Sanders, 14% for Michael Bloomberg, 12% for Elizabeth Warren, 9% for Pete Buttigieg, 5% each for Amy Klobuchar and Andrew Yang, and 2% for Tom Steyer.

Bloomberg is the only one of the top four contenders who’s shown positive momentum over the last three weeks, seeing a six point growth in his support from 8% to 14%. By contrast Biden has dropped 6 points, Sanders has dropped 2 points, and Warren has dropped 3 points. The other candidates on a positive trajectory in the state are Buttigieg who’s gone up 3 points, and Klobuchar who’s gained 2 points.

African American voters continue to be the key to Biden’s advantage in the Tar Heel state. He’s at 39% with them to 12% for Bloomberg and 10% for Sanders. That allows him to break out of a logjam with white voters where he and Sanders are both at 18%, with Bloomberg and Warren each at 15% not far behind. There’s a huge generational divide- among seniors Biden gets 35% and Bloomberg 21% with no one else over 8%. But among young voters Sanders gets 27% with Biden and Warren and 16%, and Bloomberg actually running 5th at 9% behind Andrew Yang who gets 10% in that demographic.

In the primary for Senate Cal Cunningham has nearly doubled his lead over Erica Smith, from 10 points three weeks ago to now 19 points. He’s at 29% to 10% for Smith, 4% for Steve Swenson, 3% for Trevor Fuller, and 2% for Atul Goel. Cunningham has easily the best name recognition in the field at 42%, and is generally well liked among those familiar with him- 34% rate him favorably to 8% unfavorable. Smith has 23% name recognition, and the rest of the candidates are below 20%. Cunningham has a dominant lead with white voters at 36% to Smith’s 8% and has a more modest advantage among African Americans as well, getting 21% to Smith’s 16%.

The primaries for Lieutenant Governor and Treasurer continue to be completely wide open. 75% are undecided and none of the candidates get more than 7%- Yvonne Holley reaches that mark with Chaz Beasley at 6%, Terry Van Duyn at 5%, Allen Thomas at 4%, Bill Toole at 2%, and Ron Newton at 1% all clustering pretty close together. It’s a similar story for Treasurer- the undecideds are even higher for that office at 80%. Dimple Ajmera at 9%, Matt Leatherman at 8%, and Ronnie Chatterji at 4% poll close together.

Full results here