Rep. Walter Jones Jr. (R) held a massive lead over Onslow County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin (R) in a recent survey conducted for the incumbent’s campaign.

The two candidates will face each other in the Tar Heel State’s May 6 Republican primary.

In a ballot test, Jones was well ahead of McLaughlin, 54 percent to 16 percent, according to a survey of 310 likely voters taken March 4-6 by National Research Inc. The poll had a 5.6-point margin of error.

The poll also suggested that Jones retains significant support with the local GOP electorate despite his unpopular Iraq War stance, scoring a 65 percent approval rating among those tested. Fifteen percent of those surveyed gave Jones an unfavorable rating.
— Matthew Murray