A full half — 50% — of likely voters in North Carolina say they would cast a ballot in the state's U.S. Senate race for Republican Rep. Ted Budd, compared to 44% who say they would vote for Democrat Cheri Beasley, according to a poll by East Carolina University's Center for Survey Research.
The numbers mark an increase for Judd, who led 49% to 46% in the center's poll in early September:
- 48% of women support Budd; 46% back Beasley.
- 54% of men back Budd; 39% support Beasley.
- 58% of senior voters (65 and older) support Budd; 37% back Beasley.
- 48% of likely voters under the age of 40 back Beasley; 42% back Budd.
- 49% say they would voter for a Republican congressional candidate; 44% say they would vote for a Democrat.
The poll, conducted Oct. 10-13, surveyed 902 likely voters in North Carolina. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.