Yes, but that is primarily because of the scandal regarding Goldman's time on the Wake County school board. Have they not talked about this as much in your area?
I don't psychically live in NC, so I don't get the local analysis on these races.
There will be some exceptions of course, but at least according to the consensus on NC Spin was that if McCory was in the double digits, many Republicans would be washed in. They described LG as the firewall between McCrory and the rest of the council of state and that if that goes, the council of state will see some big shifts.
I can actually see that. The Democrats should be guaranteed Cooper (obviously), Marshall and Wood though.