Dem poll: Hagan has narrow lead in North Carolina

Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) has a narrow three-point lead over North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis (R), according to a new poll conducted for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

{mosads}Hagan leads Tillis by 48 percent to 45 percent in the live-caller poll, conducted by Democratic firm Garin-Hart-Yang.

Internal polls should always be viewed with a bit of skepticism, and the release doesn’t include a ballot test including Libertarian Sean Haugh, who has been pulling between 5 and 10 percent in most other polling.

But the topline results aren’t far off from other polling. Tillis released a survey on Monday that found a tied race at 44 percent apiece, and other recent public polling has found a tight race as well.

The Garin-Hart-Yang polling memo says Hagan and Tillis were tied in a previously unreleased June survey from the firm, and that her approval rating has improved in the state. Most polling has found both candidates with high disapproval ratings, but 

Hagan’s lead in the poll is fueled by an 11-point lead with women.

The live-caller poll of 802 likely voters was conducted from Sept. 3-6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.