RALEIGH, N.C. – A majority of North Carolina voters support the stimulus package Barack Obama has been pushing in Congress- but when it comes to the bailouts for the financial and auto industries, they’re strongly opposed, the newest survey from Public Policy Polling finds.

According to PPP, 50 percent of respondents said they support the stimulus, with 39 percent opposed and 11 percent unsure.

The divide falls largely along party lines, with 80 percent of Democrats but only 16 percent of Republicans in support. Independents oppose it by a 53-33 margin.

Reaction to the stimulus seems to be more of a referendum on whether people like Barack Obama than anything else.

Voter blocs that he did well with in November – women, African Americans, young voters- are all in strong support. Ones that he did not do as well with- whites, men- are more opposed.

“The economic stimulus package is very complicated, and it seems a safe bet that most voters don’t really understand it,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “What that means for public opinion is folks are forming their positions by taking cues from people they trust, leading Democrats who respect Barack Obama to be largely supportive, and Republicans to follow their Senate leadership in opposition.”

Two issues that there is not a lot of division among North Carolinians about are the bailouts of the financial and auto industries. Only 28 percent support the financial bailout and just 27 percent are in favor of the one for the car industry. In those cases Democrats, Republicans, and independents are all opposed although Democrats are somewhat more supportive than the other two groups.

PPP surveyed 1,105 North Carolina voters from Feb. 6 to 8. The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.0%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

Complete results can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com.