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The same poll found that 19 percent of likely Democratic primary voters would defect to Republican John McCain in the general election if Obama is the Democratic nominee. If Clinton is the nominee, 17 percent said they would support McCain.

McCaskill said she was not surprised that the race is getting closer here.

"The Clintons have paid a lot of attention to North Carolina," McCaskill said. "President Clinton has camped out in North Carolina -- it feels like."

Pre-primary momentum

Former President Clinton is scheduled to return today for a 15-town, two-day swing. Hillary Clinton was planning to return to North Carolina on Monday as the Clinton campaign continued to turn up the heat here.

"I'm impressed with her stamina in the last couple of weeks," said Shaunesy Story, a 35-year old paralegal from Mebane who was at Clinton's event in Cary. "She is showing North Carolina what she is capable of."

Added Karen Dash, a 42-year old analyst from Pittsboro, said: "She and her husband are the ultimate comeback kids."

After attending Saturday's Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner in Raleigh on Friday night, Obama returned to Indiana, which is holding a primary on the same day as North Carolina. Michelle Obama, his wife, is scheduled to return to the state Monday.

At Cary High School on a panel hosted by the Web site momlogic.com, Hillary Clinton engaged in some lighthearted banter about raising families. She was asked about her daughter Chelsea's early dating experiences when she was living in the White House.

"Chelsea was a teenager in the White House, which meant that the Secret Service went on her dates," she said. "A lot of her girlfriends' mothers loved it when they double dated, because there was a guy with a gun in the front seat."

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