◼ North Carolina looks likely to revert to its past support for Republican nominees - Chris Cillza/Washington Post
For starters, the state’s unemployment rate (as of May) stood at 9.4 percent — more than a point higher than the national average and 48th nationally.
Then there is the alleged sexual harassment scandal surrounding the North Carolina Democratic Party that has led to the resignation — and unresignation — of the party’s chairman. (Not kidding. That happened.) And then there is the indictment of three aides to retiring Gov. Bev Perdue’s (D) campaign. And the ongoing tensions between organized labor and the Obama campaign for the decision to put the Democratic National Convention in a right-to-work state.
Polling — and there hasn’t been all that much of it — suggests a close race with a slight edge to Romney. The Real Clear Politics average of North Carolina data puts Romney at 47 percent to 45 percent for Obama.
