Poll: Ted Budd Widens Lead over Cheri Beasley in North Carolina U.S. Senate Race

Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) has taken a six-point lead over Democrat Cheri Beasley, just weeks out from the North Carolina U.S. Senate race, a poll found.

An East Carolina University (ECU) Poll conducted between Oct. 10-13 with 902 likely voters shows Budd leading former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Beasley 50 percent to 44 percent. The results are outside the survey’s ±3.8 percent Credibility Interval (CI), which is similar to a poll’s margin of error. ECU poll also tends to overestimate Democrat candidates, according to an analysis by FiveThirtyEight.

The poll results also show Budd gaining support since ECU Poll last surveyed for the North Carolina U.S. Senate race. In September, the pollsters showed Budd leading Beasley 49 percent to 46 percent, which was within the survey’s ±3.6 percent Credibility Interval.

“Although it is still competitive, Ted Budd is the favorite to win North Carolina’s U.S. Senate election based on our latest poll numbers,” Director of the ECU Center for Survey Research Dr. Peter Francia said.

The poll report notes that Budd’s “most notable gains” have come from women. Beasley now leads Budd 48 percent to 46 percent compared to the September survey, which showed Beasley leading 52 percent to 41 percent. Budd leads with men 54 percent to 39 percent.

Budd leads among white working-class voters 72 percent to 22 percent and among white voters with a four-year college degree 51 percent to 44 percent. Beasley leads with likely black American voters 83 percent to 11 percent.

Broken down by age demographics, seniors ages 65 and over support Budd more than Beasley, 58 percent to 37 percent. He also leads Beasley 50 percent to 44 percent with likely voters between the ages of 40 and 64. Beasley leads 48 percent to 42 percent with voters under 40 years old.

Poll respondents also say they are more likely to vote for a Republican candidate than a Democrat, 49 percent to 44 percent.

“The improved electoral environment for Republicans in North Carolina since September also tracks with declines in job approval ratings statewide for President Joe Biden. Among likely voters in North Carolina, President Biden’s job approval stands at 38 percent, down from early September when Biden’s approval stood at 44 percent,” the poll report states.