The candidates in the June 22 runoff election for the Democratic primary for the state’s U.S. Senate seat are dead even, according to a Public Policy Polling survey released Wednesday.
N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and former state senator and Iraq war veteran Cal Cunningham each received 36 percent of likely Democratic voters, said Dustin Ingalls, assistant to the director of Public Policy Polling.
Marshall won the Democratic primary May 1 with an almost 10 percent lead ahead of Cunningham. But she did not garner the 40 percent necessary to win the Democratic nomination outright.
“She’s well known among the party regulars,” said Ferrel Guillory, director of UNC’s Program on Public Life.
But Guillory added Cunningham still has a shot if he capitalizes on his image as a fresh face.
“I think the potential is there for him to catch up,” Guillory said.
The winner of the runoff will face incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., in the general election in the fall.
Burr leads Marshall by only 1 percent according to numbers released today by Public Policy Polling, down from 6 percent three weeks ago.
He leads Cunningham by 5 percent, down from 8 percent.
