North Carolina Pro-Life Senator Richard Burr Leads Elaine Marshall in New Poll
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 6, 2010
Charlotte, NC (LifeNews.com) — North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, a pro-life advocate, continues to hold a lead in his re-election bid over Democrat Elaine Marshall. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters shows Burr capturing 49% support, while Marshall earns 40% of the vote.
Another three percent of Tar Heel State voters support another candidate and eight percent remain undecided.
Burr gets 85% of the GOP vote in the state, while Marshall picks up 71% support among Democrats. Voters not affiliated with either party prefer the Republican by 16 points.
"Burr has been ahead most of the year. However, while enjoying a bounce following her victory in a Democratic Primary runoff, Marshall pulled even temporarily. Last month, the incumbent enjoyed a double digit lead," the polling firm noted.
With the exception of the post-primary poll, Burr’s support has remained in the narrow range of 48% to 52% all year. Marshall in those same surveys has earned 32% to 40% of the vote.
Rasmussen showed 71 percent of the state’s voters consider Burr a conservative. Marshall is seen as a liberal by 37% and a moderate by 30%.
"Conservative plays a little better with the North Carolina electorate since 45% place Burr’s views in the mainstream, while 30% regard his views as extreme. Thirty-nine percent (39%) think Marshall is in the mainstream, but nearly as many (34%) say her views are extreme," the polling firm said.
Marshall, North Carolina’s longtime secretary of state, is viewed very favorably by 17 percent and very unfavorably by 18 percent. For Burr, who was first elected to the Senate in 2004 with 52% of the vote, he has a 17/16 percent split.
The poll also found just 41% of North Carolina voters approve of the job pro-abortion President Barack Obama is doing, while 57% disapprove. Obama won the state 53% to 46% in the 2008 presidential election, so the numbers are a dramatic change.
Forty-four percent (44%) approve of how Democratic Governor Beverly Perdue is performing. Fifty-three percent (53%) disapprove.
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