PPP did a head-to-head between Governor McCrory and Attorney General Cooper, the prospective candidates for governor in 2016. McCrory leads Cooper, 43-41. Back in September, Cooper led McCrory 48-42, so this is an improvement for the governor. His approval rating is 39/44, which isn’t good at all but isn’t horrible either. Cooper’s favorables have also gone down. In September it was 32/18, now it’s 27/18. Does that mean the NC GOP effort to brand Cooper as a Democratic partisan has been successful? More likely it’s just statistical noise.
McCrory’s approvals have improved because a) voters have generally forgotten why they’re angry with the legislature and b) there’s a perception that the state’s economy is improving. Perhaps the best thing for McCrory to do at this point is to stay out of the news, not make waves, and talk about the “Carolina Comeback”.
The governor’s predecessor saw a similar drop in her approval rating early in her term and never recovered, so it should be a little heartening for McCrory that voters aren’t ready to dump him for someone like Roy Cooper. Cooper, by the way, is having a lot of problems running for governor so early, particularly with the liberal Democratic base. It’s a tough balancing act and it could prove in the end to be too tough.
John Wynne is the “conservative voice” at PoliticsNC, where he also provides polling analysis and commentary on legislative campaigns. When not writing about politics, he enjoys gardening and listening to opera. Contact: johncwynne@gmail.com.
Seriously? Anyone who thinks that McCrory has a chance in the world of reelection as Gov. of NC must have been on a distant planet without access to former employer and major campaign contributor Duke Energy’s environmental violations in the news, on the internet, or around town local buzz, not to mention the shameful fall from grace of McCrory’s former mentee ex-Mayor Cannon.
It can’t be ignored: “Birds of a feather” comes to mind…and there’s a reason for cliches.
The “connections” alluded to in the FBI complaint against Cannon —AND his wife, I efel compelled to add, lest anyone forget—appear to be deep tentacles connecting many city department heads and employees to Cannon’s machinations, and that does NOT bode well for the governor, as the man who helped “make Cannon what he is today”.
Throw in the fact that McCrory may have gotten away with “refusing” to disclose financials regarding his income from Duke Energy or his exact “job description” while holding the position of Mayor of Charlotte in his FIRST run for governor, it’s seriously doubtful that voters will allow this relevant information to be withheld the NEXT time around, given all the facts that have emerged regarding Duke’s pollution of our water sources.
I’d like to see that “poll” taken today.
Didn’t think Tillis could be elected and sadly he was! Not a Democrat,not a republican but with the Koch $, he could be invincible. Let’s hope not!