Polled
Public Policy Polling has surveyed Tar Heels on who they think might could be their next governor and president. Democrats were asked about Democratic contenders, Republicans about Republicans. From the news release:
Among Republican primary voters, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads his top competitors with the support of 30% of respondents. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich received 29% support and Senator John McCain received 23% support.Conservative activist Bill Graham is the frontrunner in the Republican gubernatorial field
with the support of 24% of likely Republican primary voters.Former Senator John Edwards leads his home state with the support of 29% of likely Democratic primary voters in his race for President. Senator Hillary Clinton was supported by 16% of respondents, while Senator Barack Obama garnered support from 15%.
Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue is ahead of State Treasurer Richard Moore in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor, 32% to 20%.
Click here for the full report.
I really wouldn’t make too much of the numbers at this early stage of the game, but I do have some thoughts.
On the Republican side, it seems odd to me that McCain would be trailing among presidential contenders, but maybe the RINO (Republican in Name Only) patina that hangs about him sometimes does him harm in the wake of the Richard Morgan – Jim Black co-speakership mess.
I’m not at all surprised to see Edwards leading the field of Democratic presidential contenders but not running away with it. I think I’d be more skeptical of that number if it showed Edwards with a big lead right now. I’m a little surprised, but not totally shocked, that Sen. Clinton’s number is as high as it is here in the south, but that’s not completely out of line.
On the Republican side of the gubernatorial equation, you can see the results of what buying a lot of television commercials early will get someone like Bill Graham. But that race is anyone’s ballgame at this point.
On the Democratic gubernatorial equation, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue has had the higher profile job, so she has the higher profile numbers. We’ll see if she has a truly entrenched competitive advantage if Moore can’t move the needle any by November.
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