Unaffiliated voters favor GOP candidate Pat McCrory by a wide margin in the race for governor, according to a Civitas Poll.

McCrory leads Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, the Democrat, with independents by 46 percent to 29 percent, according to the poll. Ten percent support Libertarian Barbara Howe. More than half the unaffiliated voters surveyed either had no opinion of Dalton (29 percent) or had never heard of him (27 percent).

“Many voters just don’t know who Walter Dalton is,” Civitas President Francis X. De Luca said in a statement.

Twenty-two percent had no opinion of McCrory, and 9 percent had never heard of him. Forty-five percent of unaffiliated voters had a favorable view of McCrory, while 24 percent had an unfavorable view. Dalton was 23 percent favorable and 20 percent unfavorable.

The poll has President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney in a dead heat, at 45 percent each.

The survey of 400 voters registered as unaffiliated was conducted Aug. 20 and Aug. 21. The poll has a 4.9 percent margin of error.

‘Disaster’ sought for Halifax County

Gov. Bev Perdue has requested that the U.S. Small Business Administration declare Halifax County a disaster in the wake of severe thunderstorms and flooding that struck last weekend.

“These storms popped up so quickly and dumped nearly a foot of rain in just a few hours. We are working with state and federal officials to ensure that any possible aid is provided to those who suffered damages,” Perdue said. “It is critical that we help get our fellow North Carolinians back in their homes as soon as possible.”

If a disaster declaration is made, homeowners, renters and business owners could qualify for low-interest loans or grants to help them recover from the floods.

Local and state emergency management teams began initial damage surveys Monday and met with SBA staff Wednesday to continue damage assessment. Teams looked at approximately 75 homes and businesses in Halifax County, as well as additional damaged properties in Northampton County. They also surveyed damaged roads, bridges and other community infrastructure.

The survey is the first step in determining what areas may qualify for government funding and assistance.

Libertarian Gray rips Rep. Ryan

Count Jim Gray, Gary Johnson’s running mate on the Libertarian Party ticket, among those none too happy when his Republican opponent is labeled a philosophical libertarian.

Paul Ryan has a penchant for Ayn Rand and offers plenty of small government rhetoric, but Gray, a retired California superior court judge, said that is about the extent of the similarities. Gray said in an interview during a recent visit to North Carolina that Ryan “can say libertarian things, but he isn’t a libertarian.”

What gives?

Ryan’s budget proposal, often described by the left as radical, does not go far enough, Gray said: “It wouldn’t balance the budget for 27 years.”

And that’s only the beginning: Gray takes issue with Ryan’s support of the Patriot Act; and his vote for the National Defense Authorization Act; and for the Troubled Asset Relief Program; and his opposition of troop withdrawal from the Balkans during his early days as a Congressman.

“For all the talk, he isn’t even a conservative,” Gray said.

Planned Parenthood PACs back Dalton

Two Planned Parenthood political committees have given their “strong endorsement” to Walter Dalton’s campaign for governor.

“The stakes have never been higher,” said a news release issued by Planned Parenthood Health Systems Action Fund and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of North Carolina, which are separate entities from the women’s health care nonprofit organizations.

“There’s no question that last year’s legislative session was the worst on record for women’s health,” said Melissa Reed, vice president of public policy for Planned Parenthood Health Systems Action Fund. “Given the legislature’s current leadership, we know women’s health will likely be their primary target once again in 2013. We need a governor who will stand strong for women’s health and that’s Walter Dalton.”

Paige Johnson, vice president of external affairs for Planned Parenthood Action Fund of Central N.C., added that there’s a reason Dalton’s Republican opponent, Pat McCrory, wasn’t at the Republican National Convention in Tampa last week.

“He has carefully crafted a moderate image in North Carolina to appeal to swing voters, most of whom are women,” Johnson said. “But women are watching and we won’t be fooled.”

Last session, the General Assembly cut Planned Parenthood out of its budget, and imposed new restrictions on abortions, and then overrode Gov. Bev Perdue’s vetoes of those bills. But the organization replaced the lost funding by applying directly to the federal government, and succeeded in asking a federal judge to halt implementation of the abortion law.

Staff writers Lynn Bonner, Austin Baird and Craig Jarvis

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