Barack Obama is edging closer to John McCain in in North Carolina. A poll released today by the Civitas Institute, a local conservative think tank, finds McCain leading Obama 45-41 percent.

These results, just inside the poll’s margin of error of +/- 4, suggest Obama has a shot in a state that has been reliably Republican since 1976. The survey was conducted June 11-13.

Obama polls very well among African-American voters (89 percent), but lacks support from whites (31 percent).

Civitas Institue polls have found Obama’s vote percentage in a matchup against McCain has been increasing since February; McCain’s lead dropped from 10 points in February to 9 points in April, and then to 5 points in May.

Ohio and other state-by-state matchups.