NC Poll: Robinson Narrowly Leads Stein, DeSantis Over Biden & Trump

RALEIGH – New polling conducted by Differentiator Data for NC Values Coalition and NC Faith & Freedom Coalition shows early leaders for Governor Ron DeSantis over former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, and a narrow lead for Lt. Governor Mark Robinson over Attorney General Josh Stein, if Robinson enters the race for Governor. The poll surveyed 500 registered voters statewide from January 9-12, 2023, and has a margin of error of 4.5 percent.

In the first poll since Stein announced his candidacy for governor of North Carolina, likely gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson narrowly leads 42.4 percent over Stein’s 41.6 percent with likely general election voters.

After two years of Joe Biden, Republican primary voters want a winner: DeSantis led the field at 47.4 percent, with a 12.7 percent margin over Trump. Only 35 percent of primary voters think Trump should be the nominee while 56.8 percent think someone else has a better chance.

General election voters favor DeSantis over Biden by 5 percent. Trump, who lost to Biden by 1.3 percent in 2020, is now trailing Biden by 3.8 percent early in the 2024 race.

As the North Carolina General Assembly begins their session on Wednesday, the poll also found that by a margin of 14 percent, voters preferred legislation to protect unborn children once a heartbeat can be detected, with exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother, over Stein’s policy of abortion up until birth.

Jason Williams, Executive Director for NC Faith and Freedom Coalition stated, “It’s clear that when given the choice between heartbeat protections and abortion on demand up to birth, the voters choose to protect life when an unborn baby’s heartbeat can be detected. Almost 80% of likely Robinson voters support early heartbeat protections for that unborn baby while only 45% of likely pro-choice Stein voters agree with the Democratic Party—and Josh Stein’s—extreme position on abortion on demand, up to birth.”

Tami Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the NC Values, welcomed the new polling and voiced her support for heartbeat protections. “Josh Stein will keep the abortion industry as a priority if elected governor. North Carolina has already seen the biggest increase in abortions in the nation at 37 percent, and Stein will continue to make our state a top destination for abortion. Contrast that to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s unwavering support for the unborn. We urge any future candidates for governor to take note that North Carolinians believe in protecting pre-born babies when their hearts begin beating, over the extreme position of Josh Stein and the radical abortion movement.”