The latest High Point University poll shows North Carolina voters are looking for presidential candidates with new ideas instead of established, experienced politicians.
The survey shows 51 percent of registered Tar Heel voters want candidates with innovative ideas and approaches, as opposed to only about a third who want someone with a proven track record.
The High Point survey also asked respondents to choose a president based only on party, not individuals.
That generic presidential race is tight, with Republicans holding a slight lead within the margin of error. Eighteen percent of statewide voters were undecided or refused the question.
High Point Poll director Martin Kifer says voter sentiment against establishment politicians, both national and statewide, was consistent in this survey.
“Our elected officials, overall, don't have particularly high approval ratings. We also see expressed in the electorate this desire for change, in terms of the people who represent, and so forth.”
Voters do have the presidential election on their minds, though. More than 80 percent of respondents said they had put at least “some” thought into the candidate they might choose.
Still, there's plenty of time for these sentiments to change. The North Carolina primary isn't until March, and the general election is a little less than a year away.