Economy drives NC race into tie

Barack Obama 46
John McCain 46
Bob Barr 5

With voter concern over the economy in North Carolina at an all time high, Barack Obama has pulled into a tie with John McCain in the state for the first time in a PPP survey.

Republican Presidential candidates tend to win in North Carolina even though the Democrats have a large registration advantage because conservative Democrats and independents so often choose the GOP candidate. Their choices are often driven by social issues and immigration. The more those voters make their decisions based on the economy the more likely Democrats are to succeed.

Barack Obama's standing relative to John McCain in North Carolina has improved over the year as more voters name the economy as their top issue when deciding who to vote for:

Date	% listing economy as top issue	Spread
1/21/08	39	McCain +14
5/9/08	43	McCain +7
8/23/08	48	McCain +3
9/19/08	58	Tied

Obama has a 58-34 advantage with those voters who say the economy is their biggest concern. He has reclaimed a small lead with North Carolina independents and increased his share with Democratic voters since a PPP survey conducted a week and a half ago in the state.

The Obama campaign has invested heavily here, banking that increased turnout from black and young voters could make the state competitive. These numbers are confirmation that in the current political climate their efforts in North Carolina could pay off.

Full results here