Mason-Dixon has it Easley 55%, Ballentine 35%, Undecided 10%. (Mason Dixon) Poll Conducted October 18-19, 625 RV who said they were likely to vote.
There are 2 other components to the poll, a breakdown by region:
——————Easley Ballantine Undecided
Northeast NC 53%—–37%——–10%
Southeast NC 48%—–44%———8%
Raleigh-Durham 65%—-26%———8%
Greensboro-
Winston-Salem 47%——42%——–12%
Charlotte 63%——27% ——–10%
Western NC 49%——40%———11%
Not quite as much for Easley when you get out of the traditional Demorat hotbeds areas of Charlotte, Northeast, and Raleigh-Durham. The RDU area includes Wake, which has the state capital of NC, and leaned slightly Right in 2000, and Orange and Durham, which are 2 of the most liberal counties in the state, and includes the city and College of Chapel Hill.
The other poll supposedly shows that Ballentine doesn’t have the support of Republicans, however:
Party Affiliation:
————–Easley Ballantine Undecided
Democrats 81%——12%——-7%
Republicans 19%——70%——-11%
Independents 52%——31%——–17%
Appears to me that Ballentine does have the support of Republicans. Where he is getting killed is the Independents. A problem that he is running into is an improving economy in NC, an incumbent Gov who is relatively quiet. You just do not hear much, good, bad, or anything, about Easley. And, a gov who took action after 7 tropical systems have hit NC this year. Though it doesn’t look like those in Western NC are to grateful to Easley.
