RALEIGH, N.C. – In the latest Civitas Poll, Democrat congressional candidate Dan McCready leads Republican Mark Harris by 7 points.

The poll, conducted July 5-8, 2018, surveyed 543 likely voters in North Carolina’s 9thcongressional district, a seat currently held by Republicans. The exact text of the question reads as follows:

If the election for U.S. House of Representatives were today, who would you vote for? Republican Mark Harris? Democrat Dan McCready? Or Libertarian Jeff Scott?

Mark Harris (R) 36%

Dan McReady (D) 43%

Jeff Scott (L) 3%

“This race has all the indications of being a nail-biter into November, but Republicans should be concerned with a negative 7-point spread in a district that has an R+7 rating,” said Civitas President Donald Bryson.

This gap between the two leading candidates grows even larger when looking at female support. McCready leads Harris by 16 points among likely women voters.

Bryson continued, “This poll went into the field on the same day a news story broke regarding a 2013 sermon by Rev. Harris on the role of women in the household. With women constituting 53 percent of the poll and breaking towards McCready by a 16-point margin, it seems that the story may have had some effect.”

The Civitas poll also found that 25% of likely voters cited jobs and the economy as primary motivators for going to the polls this November. Following behind at 18% each, likely voters pointed to healthcare and the presidency as important election issues.

Complete questions and crosstabs for this poll can be found here.

This poll surveyed 543 likely voters from North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District 7/5/18 through 7/8/18 with a +/- 4.6% margin of error.

For questions or interview requests, email press@nccivitas.org.

Founded in 2005, the Civitas Institute is a Raleigh, NC-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit policy organization that fights to remove barriers to freedom so that all North Carolinians can enjoy a better life.

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