• The latest Elon University Poll suggests that House Bill 2 may not be the GOP-killer Democrats expected. While a near-majority of likely voters opposes the “bathroom bill” (49.5 percent against, 39.5 percent for), that opposition hasn’t doomed the re-election prospects of Gov. Pat McCrory. The incumbent Republican leads Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper 49 percent to 46 percent, a nine-point turnaround from the August poll, which Cooper led, 48-42. Moreover, 62 percent of voters responding said H.B. 2 either would have no effect on their decision to vote for governor or make them more likely to support McCrory. Full polling information here.
• The news isn’t so good for incumbent U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, who trails Democratic former state Rep. Deborah Ross 44-43, with Libertarian Sean Haugh getting 4 percent. Burr led the August poll by 4 points, 37-33.
• Donald Trump has two scheduled stops today in North Carolina: a noon rally at High Point University and a 5 p.m. event at Kenansville. CJ’s Don Carrington is set to cover the Duplin County appearance.
• Don’t forget: Yours truly will provide on-air coverage and analysis of tonight’s debate between attorney general hopefuls Buck Newton (Republican) and Josh Stein (Democrat) on the statewide North Carolina News Network, joined by anchor Donna Martinez and James Kotecki, political pundit and host of The North Carolinian podcast. We go on the air at 6:30 and will resume at 8, following the one-hour debate in Asheboro.