Poll: Edwards only Dem candidate to beat all 4 top Repubs in NC (15 electoral votes)

15 Electoral Votes.

Here's the actual poll: Public Policy Polling (545 likely North Carolina voters, June 19).

And here's the story on it:
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Poll: Edwards Fares Best Against GOP Rivals
Thursday, June 21, 2007--WRAL
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Raleigh — Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards stands the best chance of any Democratic front-runner of carrying North Carolina in the 2008 presidential election, according to a new poll.

Public Policy Polling, a nonpartisan group, surveyed 545 likely voters statewide on June 19. The poll, which has a margin of error of 4.15 percent, shows Edwards as the only leading Democratic candidate to top four GOP candidates if the election were held now.

Edwards and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani were in practically a dead heat, with Edwards capturing 46 percent of support to Giuliani's 45 percent.

Edwards' lead over other Republicans in a hypothetical head-to-head contest is greater. He would beat senator-turned-actor Fred Thompson 47 to 43 percent, U.S. Sen. John McCain 48 to 40 percent and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 51 to 37 percent, according to the poll.

Meanwhile, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama would lose North Carolina to either Giuliani or Thompson, the poll shows.

Giuliani would top Clinton 47 to 43 percent and Obama 46 to 42 percent, according to the poll, while Thompson would win 46 to 43 percent over Clinton and 45 to 44 percent over Obama.

The poll showed Clinton would beat McCain by 45 to 44 percent and Romney by 47 to 41 percent. Obama would beat Romney by 47 to 43 percent but would narrowly lose to McCain, 45 to 44 percent.
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Read the rest here.

No offense intended. He seems to have his head screwed on right about a lot of issues. I especially like his appreciation that Congress is in charge of policy matters and the "president" only secondarily. Plus, as you say, he can win outside of the 2000/04 blue states.

He SHOULD have helped us carry NC in 2004. He was a complete dud as a VP candidate.

There are some exceptions, the most obvious one being Johnson carrying Texas for Kennedy.

Gore also probably helped Clinton carry Tennessee in '92 (and possibly '96 too). But Clinton would still have won easily without the state either time.

Nowadays, running mates can help tip a closely-divided state in the GE, but they rarely help carry a solid blue or red state. Partisan preferences have simply become too entrenched and people are much less regional than they used to be.

"doubling the size of Gitmo" in the first debate, that alone (and there are a million other reasons) should expose Mitt Romney for the utter ASS that he is...

I generally find that the comments posted at wral.com are a good sampling of the RW talking points on whatever issue. Today is a good example, although it appears that relatively more Dems are also posting.

Usually, it only takes about 5-10 posts there to have over 90% of the current TP.

BTW Jesse Helms was Vice-Chairman of WRAL's parent company and an on-air commentator(?!) until he was elected Senator. He was notorious for attacking his favorite targets, The University of NC and Chapel Hill. It makes claims that WRAL is pro-Edwards rather funny.

Edwards kicking ass - hmmmm, wonder what has happened? Whatever it is - I'm loving it!

I rather enjoy seeing JRE taking the lead over the other candidates, including Hillary and Obama. Now, now, it is true here in Iowa...JRE is the most promising of them all. White House here we come....put an extra plate or two on the dinner table for your supporters...go JRE go!

the only solid opponent would be fred thompson in NC.

here's the latest:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3329903

I need to do a little :bounce: !! :)

long way to go, but IMO I think we are going to see that John Edwards just may come out smelling like a rose!

DESPITE all the garbage that gets spewed around about him. I do realize that most candidates get their fair share of criticism, but Clinton & Obama have been consistently polled 1 and 2 ALL the time. But for me, I just don't think it will play out that way. There are "pluses" that Edwards has that will make him "more electable" nationally!

That's MY opinion, and I know others have theirs.

even help Gore in 2000 carry NC. So what makes one think NC a red state is in play for 2008? It is not. It will stay red.....
I do thank you
Ben David

The linked article concerning the poll was showing that Edwards currently leads against any of the top Rep. candidates and outpolls the other Dem candidates in NC. That plus living in NC for 58 years and paying attention.

Not to say it would be easy or that no other Dem could win here.

And on what do you base your alternate view of the universe?

In a 50/50 national mood like 2000? Am I supposed to laugh for hours?

These states are not created equal. It's continually astounding how the same weak claims are hoisted around here. We've already got the standard reply in this thread that Edwards was a failure in '04, for not helping Kerry win North Carolina.

Let's see, Bush the incumbent won nationally by about 2.5 points. The state tilts about 12 points Republican. Yep, no problem. Let's have Edwards reel in that 14 point deficit without a sweat.

Edwards was worth the standard 3-3.5 points for a VP choice in his home state. Myself and a few others on DU were predicting that before the '04 election. He cut the partisan index from about +12 to +9. Expecting anything else was ignorant fantasy.

Now, in regard to '08, the nation tilts our way and not toward a GOP incumbent. Edwards would receive more of a favorite son boost atop the ticket than from the VP slot. So he would have a chance in North Carolina, but still be an underdog, regardless of what the current state polls indicate.

Frankly, state polling is mostly meaningless. Look at the national numbers and you can evaluate state by state. State polls are significantly less reliable.

Thanks for the info JohnLocke. :hi:

nt

North Carolina is a state that Clinton never won. The fact that there are only a few points in it for any of the Dem candidatse against the Republicans is great news in general. If the numbers hold up next year, it's a state the GOP will have to compete in that they otherwise wouldn't have been expected to have to.