NORTH CAROLINA 15 Electoral Votes
Obama/Allies  |  McCain/Allies  |  Nader  
Although Democrats were concerned about the contested and at times heated May 6 primary, that contest actually helped to introduce Obama to the state's voters and start up the Democrats' fall campaign in the state.  Three times as many people voted in the May 6 Democratic primary as in the Republican primary.  Obama defeated Clinton by 56.14% to 41.61%.  Between the primary and the general election, Democratic registration increased by 224,457, Republicans by  61,060, and Unaffiliated by 142,563.  Given the closeness of the outcome, the Democrats' registration gains were clearly a key factor.

During the five months from June 1 to Nov. 4, Obama spent more than twice as much time in the state as McCain.  In early October the McCain-Palin campaign seemed suddenly to realize that it was going to have to fight for the state, and McCain and Palin held a steady stream of rallies throughout the month. 
However, whereas the Republican candidates made single stops in a half dozen or so cities, Obama, Michelle Obama and Joe Biden built up two, three and even four visits to many of the bigger cities.  Obama even did debate preparation in Asheville on Oct. 4-5. 

In addition to being a presidential battleground, there were closely fought campaigns for governor and Senate; as a result, North Carolina experienced the greatest percentage increase in votes for president of any state compared to 2004 >.

North Carolina was the closest state to go for Obama by 14,177 votes out of 4,310,789 (0.32 percentage points), and Obama became the first Democrat to carry the state since Jimmy Carter in 1976.  The 25, 722 votes (0.60%) obtained by Barr/Root campaign were more than enough to have tipped the balance to McCain.


Travel  compare...
Five Months (June 1-Nov. 4, 2008)
OBAMA-BIDEN McCAIN-PALIN
Barack Obama - 8 visits (11 days)
Joe Biden - 4 visits (4 days)
Michelle Obama (solo) - 3 visits (3 days)
Jill Biden (solo) - no visits
John McCain - 4 visits (4 days)
Sarah Palin - 4 visits (4 days)
Cindy McCain (solo) - 1 visits (1 days)
Todd Palin (solo) - no visits


Newspaper Endorsements (Source: Editor & Publisher)
OBAMA
Asheville Citizen-Times  (Oct. 12)
Charlotte Observer  (Oct. 24)   210,616 (44)
The Daily Advance [Elizabeth City]
The Herald-Sun [Durham]  (Oct. 19)
Greenville Daily Reflector  (Oct. 17)
Raleigh News & Observer  (Oct. 19)   176,083 (56)
Wilmington Star-News  (Oct. 18)
McCAIN
The Hickory Daily Record
Winston-Salem Journal (Oct. 30, 2008)

NO ENDORSEMENT
Rocky Mount Telegram


2008 Presidential Results              

Map Reprinted from NC State Board of Elections      
Biggest Counties (Counties with more than 100,000 votes cast for President)

Obama-Biden

McCain-Palin

Barr/Root

w/ins

Wake
250,891
56.73
187,001
42.28
2,931
0.66
1,422
442,245
Mecklenburg
253,958
61.82
153,848
37.45
1,908
0.46
1,103
410,817
Giulford
142,101
58.78
97,718
40.42
1,296
0.54
656
241,771
Forsyth
91,085
54.83
73,674
44.35
925
0.56
449
166,133
Durham
103,456
75.57
32,353
23.63
660
0.48
428
136,897
Cumberland
74,693
58.55
52,151
40.88
444
0.34
287
127,575
Buncombe
69,716
56.32
52,494
42.40
879
0.71
706
123,795
New Hanover
49,145
48.82
50,544
50.21
571
0.57
405
100,665

Copyright © 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action