CNN has a headline story on it's website at the moment about this, though it notes that other polls have shown NC as being very close this summer. But now based on this poll, CNN has officially shifted NC from leaning to Romney to a true toss-up state up for grabs.
This declaration is based on a recent CNN/Time/ORC International poll. I'm not a regular poll-follower, so I can't comment intelligently as to the reliability of this particular poll, but it sounds heartening.
Full story here.
North Carolina now becomes the ninth state CNN considers a true toss up, joining Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. CNN considers Michigan, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania as states that lean towards Obama, with Arizona, Indiana, and Missouri as states that lean towards Romney.
With North Carolina's move to true "toss up," the CNN Electoral Map now suggests Obama leading in states with a combined 237 electoral votes, Romney ahead in states with a combined 191 electoral votes, and states with 110 electoral votes are up for grabs. Two-hundred and seventy electoral votes are needed with win the White House.
Romney's job is getting harder every day.