THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 19, 1996 TAG: 9610190263
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: By MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 58 lines
Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. remains a heavy favorite for re-election, and Elaine Marshall is emerging as a Democratic power-player in her race against stock car driver Richard Petty for North Carolina's secretary of state, a new political poll showed Friday.
The third-term governor has the support of 58 percent of voters polled, while Robin Hayes, his GOP opponent, is backed by 34 percent, the new Mason-Dixon poll reported.
Marshall, a 50-year old Harnett County lawyer, now holds a 42 to 36 percent lead over Republican Petty with 22 percent still undecided, the survey found.
State Republicans decided Petty - long involved in county politics - would make a strong candidate in racing-happy North Carolina this year. Whoever holds the job is a political asset with considerable control over corporations and business regulation within the state.
Marshall has been displaying her campaign style in the Albemarle and on the Dare County beaches this week. Petty is campaigning in Manteo Tuesday.
In name recognition, 95 percent of North Carolina voters know Petty, ``the King'' of stock car tracks, but only 38 percent have a favorable opinion of him, Brad Coker, a Mason-Dixon poll executive, said Friday.
In contrast, only 61 percent know of Marshall, but she has a 29 percent favorable name recognition.
Marshall is a former state senator and public school teacher who decided to become an attorney after graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in textile engineering in 1968.
``I'm getting some help from the state Democratic Party,'' Marshall said Friday in Elizabeth City. ``Friends are helping, and I loaned myself $45,000 to get my campaign started.''
Meanwhile, in the governor's race, Hunt's popularity reached 58 percent of probable voters this month, the survey reported. Hayes' numbers have climbed slowly from 22 percent in February to 34 percent this month.
``Hunt continues to run strong, leading in all six regions of the state,'' said Coker.
Two major bond issues to help the state's public school system got mixed reactions from voters in the poll.
Most voters said they would support a $1.8 billion school bond issue, which will be on the Nov. 5 ballot. The Mason-Dixon survey showed that 64 percent of voters questioned said they would vote for the school building bonds and 24 percent said they would oppose it.
But a second bond issue for $950 million to construct urban loops and other road improvements did not fare as well.
Statewide, 36 percent of those polled said they would vote against the second school bond issue and 35 percent said they would support it. ILLUSTRATION: Hunt
Hayes
KEYWORDS: POLL GUBERNATORIAL RACE NORTH CAROLINA SECRETARY OF
STATE RACE NORTH CAROLINA by CNB