Staff report
Polls show the races for U.S. president, U.S. Senate and governor remain too close to call in North Carolina.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain received some encouraging news Friday when the latest telephone survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports showed him leading Democrat Barack Obama in North Carolina by two points, 50 to 48 percent.
That survey of 700 likely voters was conducted Thursday.
The previous Rasmussen poll, conducted Oct. 19, had shown Obama ahead in North Carolina by 3 points, 51 to 48 percent.
Real Clear Politics, which has averaged all poll results through Thursday, shows Obama with a 1 point N.C. lead, 48.6 to 47.6 percent.
Rasmussen Reports also released a new poll Friday on the N.C. governor’s race, which shows Republican Pat McCrory leading Democrat Bev Perdue by 4 points, 51 to 47 percent.
In the U.S. Senate race, Real Clear Politics shows Democrat Kay Hagan leading Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole by 2 points, 46.3 to 44.3 percent.
The number from Real Clear Politics represents an average of all polls done in the race through Tuesday.