Bill Graham releases polling numbers

There is lots of juicy polling news in the N&O’s Under the Dome this morning.

First, they report on the USA Today-Gallup Poll that found that most Americans support John Edwards’ decision to continue his campaign in the face of his wife’s cancer. The N&O also highlights a University of Iowa poll showing the revelation of Elizabeth Edwards’s health did not negatively impact his chances in the Iowa caucuses.

Second, and more interestingly, GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Graham released a portion of his own poll. Not surprisingly, the results show him to be in the lead for the 2008 Republican primary. According to the McLaughlin & Associates poll, Graham leads with 16%, Bob Orr is in second with 10% and Fred Smith garners just 3%. The poll was conducted March 19-20.

These results are in line with PPP’s latest tracking poll, but it differs from the last Civitas poll which had Bob Orr in the lead and Graham in third.

McLaughlin & Associates has done polling in North Carolina before for former Senators Lauch Faircloth and Jesse Helms, as well as former Raleigh Mayors Tom Fetzer and Paul Coble.

Update: Apparently we all got scooped by my friend Kris Wampler. His blog has even more on the poll. Among the tidbits, 88% of primary voting Republicans believe that corruption in state government is a problem.