What Do Voters In North Carolina Want?

Not these two

Elon University released a general election poll that should make Democrats sit up and take notice. Short version of the hypothetical North Carolina match-ups:

• Hillary beats Trump- 45.1% to 38.9%
• Bernie beats Trump- 50.8% to 37.7%

• Cruz beats Hillary- 43.8% to 41.2%
• Bernie beats Cruz- 49.3% to 38.8%

Democrats have to be crazy to ignore independents (over 40% of the general election electorate) by nominating Hillary Cruz, who independents just hate, not just in North Carolina, but everywhere. There is some good news for Democrats in other sections of the poll. First of all, Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) is increasing his lead over GOP bigot, Governor Pat McCrory. Cooper is now leading McCrory 48.2-41.5% in the gubernatorial race, probably because independents are embarrassed over the anti-gay legislation and the backlash from around the country. A plurality of North Carolina voters approve of marriage equality.

In the Senate race, Deborah Ross (D) is closing in on incumbent Richard Burr (R). He now leads her 36.9-32.7% with lots of independent voters still undecided, although as North Carolina voters start identifying Burr as obstructing President Obama's supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland. Burr's approval rating is only 29%-- with a 41% disapproval rating. They report that "This is the lowest approval rating ever recorded by the Elon Poll, either among registered voters or residents of North Carolina. Although Burr has served as U.S. Senator since 2005, twenty-nine percent of registered voters still said they didn't know or were unsure of the Senator's performance."

A couple of other bits worth keeping in mind start with massive disapproval of Congress 80.8% to just 8.7% who approve. The state legislature isn't faring too well, either. His disapproval is 48.7%, while just 31.3% approve. This could be a good year for Democrats to take back a couple of districts in North Carolina but the DCCC has written the state off entirely and isn't backing a single candidate, although Robert Pittenger, Patrick McHenry, George Holding, Mark Walker and Renee Ellmers could all be vulnerable with Bernie on top of the Democratic ticket and with Trump or Cruz on top of the Republican ticket. Obviously, if the Republicans run a relatively normal candidate and the Democrats are foolish enough to run Clinton, the Democrats would have no chance to take back any congressional seats.