Charlotte Observer: Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage ruling could energize voters in Senate race

In 2012, North Carolina voters approved the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage by a 22-point margin. A recent survey by Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling found the gap shrinking, with 40 percent of voters favoring legalized gay marriage and 53 percent opposing it.

A poll last month by the conservative American Insights found a smaller gap, with 48 percent of likely North Carolina voters opposing same-sex marriage and 44 percent supporting it. The result was within the poll’s 4.6-point margin of sampling error.

Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Catawba College, says there are advantages and disadvantages for both candidates.