BRIEF: Poll shows more NC voters now see Donald Trump negatively than not

Jan. 19--Republican Donald Trump will enter office Friday with more North Carolinians looking at him unfavorably than favorably, according to a new poll.

Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning firm, found 44 percent of N.C. voters have a positive opinion of Trump compared to 49 percent with a negative opinion. He carried the state with nearly 50 percent of the vote against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Recent national polls have found similar low approval ratings for the president-elect.

The poll also showed:

--Forty percent of voters say they want Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. More -- 55 percent -- say Congress should keep the parts of the law that work and fix what doesn't.

--Trump's criticism of intelligence agencies hasn't persuaded voters. Fifty-five percent say the intelligence agencies have more credibility than Trump, compared to 26 percent who disagree.

--Trump's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin also hasn't convinced voters. Only 9 percent of voters give Putin a favorable rating to 70 percent who rate him unfavorably.

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