THURSDAY. LAINEY, THANK YOU. WE ARE EXACTLY 70 DAYS FROM POLLS OPENING FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION. IT'S WHEN WE WILL DECIDE WHO BECOMES OUR NEXT PRESIDENT AND GOVERNOR. NEW POLLING FROM ELON UNIVERSITY SHOWS A WIDENING GAP IN THE RACE FOR THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION. IN IT, ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH STEIN LEADS HIS REPUBLICAN OPPONENT, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MARK ROBINSON, IN FAVORABILITY. THE POLL COMES AS BOTH CANDIDATES MAKE STOPS IN THE TRIAD THIS WEEK. WXII 12 KELLY KENDALL SPOKE WITH THE ELON RESEARCHER WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THAT POLL, AND SHE JOINS US NOW IN STUDIO KELLY. CHRISTINE, THIS POLL LOOKS AT VOTERS IMPRESSIONS OF THE CANDIDATES. IT SHOWS 44% OF VOTERS HAVE A FAVORABLE IMPRESSION OF JOSH STEIN, A DOUBLE DIGIT LEAD OVER MARK ROBINSON AT 30%. AND RESEARCHERS TELL US IT HAS MORE TO DO WITH ROBINSON. THAT'S RIGHT. LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS FRFROM ELECTION DAY, MARK ROBINSON, WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES. AND JOSH STEIN. AND I AM SO THRILLED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO JUST SAY THANK YOU ARE VISITING THE TRIAD THIS WEEK AS NEW POLLING COMES FROM THE TRIAD DOCTOR, JASON HUSSER IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ELON UNIVERSITY POLL THAT ASKED HUNDREDS OF NORTH CAROLINIANS ABOUT THE 2024 ELECTION. HE SAYS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STEIN AND ROBINSON'S FAVORABILITY COMES FROM REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS. MANY OF THE CORE REPUBLICAN SUPPORTERS FOR TRUMP AND INDEPENDENTS WHO SUPPORT TRUMP DON'T LIKE ROBINSON, SO MUCH SO THAT 16% OF REPUBLICANS SURVEYED SAY THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO SPLIT THEIR VOTES BETWEEN THE PRESIDENTIAL AND GOVERNOR'S RACE. BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE OF STEIN'S EFFORTS. BUT IT'S NOT THAT STEIN'S KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK. HE'S PERFORMING ABOUT LIKE OTHER DEMOCRATS ARE PERFORMING ON STATEWIDE TICKETS. THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT MARK ROBINSON IS AN OUTLIER. STEIN STOPPED IN HIGH POINT TUESDAY TO RECOGNIZE THE FOUNDER OF CARING SERVICES, A NONPROFIT THAT HELPS THOSE RECOVERING FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES. STEIN ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEW POLL, SAYING HIS MIND IS REALLY ON NOVEMBER 5TH. WE CALL IT A ROLLER COASTER. THERE ARE GOING TO BE GOOD POLLS AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE BAD POLLS, BUT THERE'S ONLY ONE POLL THAT MATTERS AND THAT'S IN NOVEMBER. SO WHAT I'M DOING IS TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE TALKING TO AS MANY NORTH CAROLINIANS AS I CAN TO SHARE MY VISION AND CONTRAST WITH THE JOB KILLING VISION OF MY OPPONENT, MARK ROBINSON, AND HUSSER SAYS THE UNIVERSITY IS PREPARING FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF POLLING THAT WILL PROBABLY GO OUT NEXT WEEK, A AND THAT WILL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE ARE PLANNING TO VOTE TO VOTE. BUT FOR NOW, HE SAYS, THERE IS NO DOUBT NORTH CAROLINA IS A SWING STATE SHAPING UP FOR SOME TIGHT RACES. LIVE IN STUDIO. I'M