Public Policy Polling (PDF):

Hillary Clinton has cut Barack Obama’s lead in North Carolina to one point, according to the newest survey from Public Policy Polling.

Obama leads 44-43 in the state, after leading by four points in a similar poll conducted by PPP two weeks ago. Clinton has particularly made gains with female voters, with whom she now has a slight lead after trailing in the previous poll.

“Some folks in the national media have been treating North Carolina as if winning it is a given for Barack Obama,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “The reality is that the state is pretty close, and either candidate could emerge with a victory.”

Recent PPP polls in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida have shown Obama struggling in the wake of the recent controversy surrounding his pastor.

However, the North Carolina PPP poll cited here was conducted on March 17, the day before Obama addressed the controversy in a speech in Philadelphia.

Taegan Goddard says North Carolina’s primary rules may benefit Clinton: “Obama has done very well in states with open primaries because of his strong support from Republican and independent voters. But North Carolina has a closed primary with the exception of unaffiliated voters, who may choose which party’s ballot they want to cast. Right now they’re only making up 12 percent of the Democratic primary electorate.”

A poll from Rasmussen had Obama ahead by 17 percentage points in North Carolina just eight days ago. He has also lost 13 percentage points in a national poll from Reuters/Zogby.