In the latest Elon Poll released on Tuesday, it was revealed that Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have nearly equal favorability ratings among registered voters in North Carolina. Approximately 44% of voters had favorable impressions of Harris, while 46% had favorable impressions of Trump. However, both Harris and Trump were also viewed unfavorably by half of the voters.

The poll also shed light on the favorability ratings of the candidates in the governor's race. Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's favorability lagged significantly behind Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein. Robinson was viewed favorably by only 30% of voters, while Stein garnered a 44% favorability rating. On the other hand, Robinson was viewed unfavorably by half of the voters, while 29% viewed Stein unfavorably.

Interestingly, the poll highlighted that there were more Republicans than Democrats who expressed their intention to split their votes for president and governor. About 16% of Republicans stated that they would vote for candidates from different parties, while only 6% of Democrats said the same.

Conducted from August 2-9, the Elon Poll captured the sentiments of North Carolina voters after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race but before the Democratic National Convention. This timing allowed researchers to examine the state's political landscape in this pivotal election year.

Despite Republican presidential candidates winning in North Carolina for the past three elections, Prof. Jason Husser, Director of the Elon University Poll, emphasized that the state's status as a swing state still remains up for grabs by either party. However, winning these electoral votes will require navigating a divided, complex, and engaged electorate.

The poll also revealed significant racial and gender divisions in both the presidential and gubernatorial races. Male voters were more likely to have favorable impressions of Trump, with 50% expressing favorable views compared to 39% for Harris. Conversely, among women, 47% had favorable impressions of Harris, while 43% viewed Trump favorably.

When considering race, 72% of Black voters had favorable impressions of Harris, compared to only 17% for Trump. Among white voters, 54% held favorable views of Trump, while 35% felt the same about Harris. Stein's favorability also stood out, particularly among women and Black voters, with 46% of women and 65% of Black voters expressing favorable impressions.

The state's economy emerged as the top issue influencing voters' choice for governor, with 90% agreeing that it was extremely or very important. Additionally, Democrats and Republicans reported starkly different experiences with their personal finances over the past three years. While 40% of Democrats stated that their financial situations had improved since Biden took office, only 3% of Republicans shared the same sentiment. Conversely, 80% of Republicans claimed that their personal financial situations had worsened.

The Elon University Poll, sponsored by Elon Poll and conducted by the firm YouGov, utilized a sample size of 800 respondents, with a 3.86% margin of error. This survey serves as the initial glimpse into North Carolina's electoral landscape as the 2024 election year progresses.

In summary, the Elon Poll revealed interesting favorability ratings for Harris, Trump, and Robinson among North Carolina's registered voters. While Harris and Trump enjoy similar levels of favorability, Robinson faces a significant gap in his favorability ratings compared to his opponent, Stein. These findings illuminate the complexities of the state's political environment, highlighting the importance of successfully navigating the preferences of a diverse and engaged electorate.