Poll: Tight race in swing-state North Carolina

Obama leads Romney 48 to 47 percent, showing a much closer race than the survey from conservative polling outlet Rasmussen on Wednesday, which showed Romney with an 8 percent lead.

Romney’s favorability rating, which was historically low during the GOP primary, has recovered some but is still underwater, with 37 percent of Tar Heel State voters surveyed viewing him favorably, compared to 53 percent unfavorable.

That’s a 13-point improvement over last month, when Obama led in North Carolina by 5 percent, according to PPP.

Obama continues to be boosted by what is lining up to be his two key constituent groups in 2012 — female voters, with whom he leads by 10 percent, and young voters, with whom he has a 20 percent advantage.

North Carolina is one of 12 key swing states the president won in 2008 that the GOP is looking to reclaim.

Obama defeated Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the Tar Heel State by less than 1 percent in 2008, which was the first time North Carolina had voted for the Democratic presidential candidate since 1976.