New poll takes North Carolina's pulse
Updated: 5/26/2005 9:31 AM
By: Brett Tackett & Web Staff

A new poll released Wednesday took the pulse of North Carolina.

It looked at everything from the lottery to illegal immigration.

Conservative pollsters with The John William Pope Civitas Institute say a new report shows North Carolinians are right of center on many major issues.

Jack Hawke from the Institute said, "We intentionally worded questions so that we weren't pushing voters."

The poll asked 1000 North Carolinians, 50 percent Democrat, 38 percent Republican and twelve percent neither, various ranging questions.

When asked simply if they supported a lottery, 60 percent say they're either strongly or somewhat in favor.

Just over 30 percent were against a lottery.

But when asked the same question and adding if it was attached to bill that increases taxes, which the Senate's budget does, half of those supporting a lottery now say they don't and less than 40 percent say they do.

Hawke continued, "So when you tie it to a tax increase the support for the lottery seems to disappear."


NC poll

Conservative pollsters with The John William Pope Civitas Institute say a new report shows North Carolinians are right of center on many major issues.

When it comes to illegal immigrants, the poll says three fourths of North Carolinians do not support in-state tuition for them.
“This poll indicates North Carolina is a conservative state," Hawke said.

Former Democrat Attorney General Rufus Edmisten said he thinks the poll overall captures the way North Carolinians think on these issues. But he's not so quick to draw the conclusion the state is either conservative or liberal.

Edmisten said, "This poll gives the impression that the state is divided up between liberals and conservatives. And that the polls say that conservatives are so much farther ahead of everybody. That is just not so. This state votes wildly different in many different areas."

Another part of the poll shows that people's top three issues are jobs, healthcare and education.

Also according to the poll, the majority of North Carolinians are against gay marriage and think the government spends too much.

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