Election 2026: Poll favorability a tick more for Republicans

(The Center Square) – Favorability over unfavorability is greater for the Republican majorities General Assembly and the Republican majority state Supreme Court in North Carolina than it is for first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein or Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper. The High Point University Poll sampling 1,000 adults across the state Jan. 9-21 was overwhelmingly positive on all. The positive marks were 45%-23% for the General Assembly, 45%-24% for the North Carolina Supreme Court, 45%-27% for Stein and 44%-34% for Cooper. Respondents were also asked about job approval by Stein. He scored well there, 44% approving to 24% disapproving with 32% unsure. Cooper, the former two-term governor and four-term attorney general, is expected to emerge from the March 3 primaries with a November battle against Republican Michael Whatley. While 22% were unsure or not familiar with Cooper, 56% said the same about Whatley against 23% favorable and 20% unfavorable. Republicans have majoriti