North Carolina
North Carolina 2024 Trump-Harris Polls: Trump Leads By 3 Points In Latest Survey
Topline
Vice President Kamala Harris could become only the second Democratic presidential candidate to win North Carolina in more than 40 years as the state has slowly shifted to the left, with most polls showing her and former President Donald Trump in a dead heat, though the latest survey found Trump with a three-point advantage.
Key Facts
Trump is up 59% to 47% in a Washington Post-Schar School poll released Monday, still within the 3.9-point margin of error, while a Quinnipiac poll of likely voters released Wednesday found Harris leading 49% to 47%, a reversal of Trump’s 49%-47% lead two weeks ago.
Two other recent polls found Trump with an edge: He led 46%-45% in a Wall Street Journal poll published Oct. 11 that includes third-party candidates, and led 49%-48% in an Emerson College poll out Oct. 10, after Harris led 49%-48% in the group’s September survey.
Last month, Trump led by two points in a survey of likely voters taken Sept. 25-29 by the Washington Post, while Harris led by two points in a Bloomberg/Morning Consult survey released Sept. 26 and the two were tied in a CNN/SSRS poll released Sept. 27.
The Cook Political Report moved North Carolina from “lean Republican” to a “toss up” in late August, writing that the state “looks more competitive than ever” since Harris’ entrance into the race, while Cook’s latest survey released earlier this month shows Harris and Trump tied, after Harris led by one point here in August.
If Harris wins the state, she has a 91.3% chance of winning the election, according to political analyst Nate Silver’s Voter Power Index, which found Trump would have an 81.2% chance of winning the electoral college if he wins North Carolina.
Harris has a 38.6% chance of winning North Carolina, similar to her odds in Georgia, and as of August, there was an 86% chance the states will vote together, according to Silver’s model, which considers various demographic characteristics, including age, income, race and education level and the states’ voting history in the past two elections.
North Carolina’s shift to the left has largely been credited to a population increase among potential voters who typically back Democrats—including the highly educated—especially from a 5.6% increase since 2020 near the “research triangle” area of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, according to the Brookings Institution.
That area hosts three major research universities—Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina University—that have also sparked related industries in high tech and the life sciences, and made it the tenth-fastest growing area in the country, according to Brookings.
And the overall percentage of North Carolinians with a bachelor’s degree—a Democratic-leaning demographic—has also increased by 1.4 million since 1990, according to a study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
What To Watch For
Whether scandals surrounding GOP gubernatorial candidate, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, could hurt Trump’s chances in North Carolina. Trump endorsed Robinson prior to a CNN report revealing a string of racist and derogatory comments he allegedly made on a pornographic website chat forum before his entrance into politics, including referring to himself as a “Black NAZI.” Polls taken after the Sept. 19 story show Democratic candidate Josh Stein has widened his lead over Robinson, to as many as 19 points in a recent Emerson College survey. A CNN/SSRS poll released Sept. 27 also found Robinson trailing Stein by 17 points and a tie between Trump and Harris, suggesting Robinson’s scandals haven’t affected Trump’s standing there. Historically, the demise of down-ballot candidates rarely drag down the affiliated party’s presidential candidate, CNN notes.
Big Number
16. That’s how many electoral college votes North Carolina has, after gaining a vote after the 2020 census. The state has the eighth most electoral votes in the country, tied with Georgia.
Contra
Despite the electorate’s increasingly Democratic leanings, Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers of the legislature, giving it the power to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes.
Surprising Fact
North Carolina has only voted for one Democratic presidential candidate since 1980: Barack Obama in 2008.
Key Background
Trump holds a narrow advantage in North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona, while Harris is up by slim margins in Wisconsin, Michigan and Nevada, and the two are tied in Pennsylvania, according to the Silver Bulletin. No candidate is leading by more than 1.7 points in any of the seven swing states. Most recent national surveys show Trump has narrowed Harris’ lead in recent weeks. She is ahead by just one point in RealClearPolitics’ polling average. North Carolina was the only swing state where Biden lost to Trump (by one point) in 2020.
Further Reading
Election 2024 Swing State Polls: Harris Leads Or Ties Trump In All Battleground States, Latest Survey Finds (Forbes)
Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Harris Leads By 6 Points In Latest Likely Voter Survey (Forbes)
North Carolina
School closings in Western North Carolina, Monday, Jan. 6
Stuck in the snow in West Asheville
Junior Bonilla and Elizabeth Pietzsch help push JJ Thompson out of the snow in West Asheville Dec. 9, 2018. It was the third vehicle Bonilla helped dig out of the snow.
Angela Wilhelm, Asheville Citizen Times
Some school systems in Western North Carolina are closed Monday, Jan. 6, due to winter weather.
- Madison County Schools: Closed, optional teacher workday.
- Mitchell County Schools: Closed, Schedule 2 staff workday.
- Watauga County Schools: Closed, remote learning day.
- Yancey County Schools: Closed, optional teacher workday.
This story will be updated
North Carolina
Residents brace for freezing rain as winter weather nears Western North Carolina
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Winter weather is expected to arrive in Western North Carolina on Jan. 5.
The weather is forecasted to begin with light rain around sunset on Sunday, transitioning to the possibility of freezing rain overnight into Monday, Jan. 6
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ISSUED FOR MCDOWELL COUNTY WITH POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT ICING
William Kehler, Emergency Services Director for McDowell County, released a statement on how the county is preparing for the incoming weather:
“We are monitoring the situation closely and will adjust staffing levels at EMS and 911 accordingly should the forecast change. These are the types of systems where a degree or two in temperature can make a big difference. The main areas of impact for us, based upon the advisory from NWS, will be the high elevation areas in NW McDowell County.”
Robin Gardner told News 13 that she has lived in Old Fort for about 40 years and still ventures out for essentials before harsh weather.
“We have extra propane bottles filled up, and we just got our 100-pound tank hooked up today—I have groceries stocked, all the things, gas in my vehicle,” she said.
Gardner said while she plans to stay inside and away from the cold, she also has a plan in case she has to venture out again.
“I will just stay inside for the next few days, and if I do have to go out, I’ll dress in layers — leggings on top of leggings, on top of jeans, on top of sweatpants,” she said.
According to News 13’s weather report, temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, with high wind gusts reaching approximately 30 mph.
While most areas in the region are not expected to experience freezing rain, the likelihood of freezing rain is highest along and near the Blue Ridge escarpment in areas such as Black Mountain, Ridgecrest, Montreat, Spruce Pine, Woodlawn, and Newland.
WINTER WEATHER TO BRING RAIN AND POSSIBLE FREEZING RAIN TO WNC STARTING JAN. 5
By Monday morning, temperatures in these areas are expected to rise above freezing, while the rest of the region will continue to experience cold rain.
For more information or details about the incoming weather, visit the National Weather Service’s website.
North Carolina
Vote: Who was the top sophomore football player in North Carolina in 2024?
With the 2024 high school football season complete, it’s time to look back at who was the top sophomore.
There were plenty of good sophomore players. Here are 15 candidates for your consideration.
The 5-foot-9, 140-pound defensive back corralled seven interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns. Batiste recorded 45 tackles.
Nichols, a dual-threat quarterback, led the Lions to the 3-A state championship. The 5-foot-10 star threw for 2,633 yards and 29 touchdowns with 4 interceptions. He had 614 yards and 9 touchdowns rushing.
Ingle threw for 2,966 yards and 35 touchdowns with 8 interceptions. In addition, he ran for 285 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Roberts caught 46 passes for 914 yards, averaging nearly 20 yards a reception, and 11 touchdowns for the Rams.
Clem ran for 1,747 yards and 26 touchdowns for the Bulldogs. A highlight of his season was a record-tying 99-yard touchdown run. Clem also saw time on defense, making 15 tackles a and breaking up two passes.
Eatmon ran for 1,139 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 9.04 yards per carry. He also made 18 tackles.
Hammock caught 51 passes for 881 yards and 8 touchdowns. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder also had a pair of rushing touchdowns.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound edge was spectacular with 26.5 sacks, 31 hurries and 123 tackles, including 35.5 for loss. Streets also blocked four punts and forced two fumbles.
Helms had 7 interceptions, 13 pass breakups and made 28 tackles. The two-way starter had 29 receptions for 344 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The 5-foot-10, 165-pounder had a superb season, going 14-of-17 on field goal attempts, with his longest being 49 yards. Fehling was a perfect 25-of-25 on extra points and had 27 touchbacks on 44 kickoffs.
Agee had a stellar season on both sides of the ball. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder ran for 1,043 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 9.9 yards a carry. He also caught 3 passes for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns. On defense, Agee had 53 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Coley caught 49 passes for 775 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The 6-foot-7, 240-pound edge had a dominant season with 23 sacks, 29 hurries and 76 tackles, including 34 for loss. Dudley has college offers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Liberty.
Dillon did just about everything for his team. The 6-foot-2, 182-pounder caught 38 passes for 798 yards and 7 touchdowns, ran 14 times for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns and threw for 270 yards and a touchdown. Dillon also made 16 tackles.
The two-way starter had 46 receptions for 650 yards and 12 touchdowns. Curry had 8 interceptions, 5 pass breakups and 38 tackles as well.
-
Health1 week ago
New Year life lessons from country star: 'Never forget where you came from'
-
Technology1 week ago
Meta’s ‘software update issue’ has been breaking Quest headsets for weeks
-
Business5 days ago
These are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Culture5 days ago
The 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports5 days ago
The top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics3 days ago
New Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics3 days ago
Carter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics1 day ago
Who Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?