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• A new Elon University Poll  of registered N.C. voters defies the conventional wisdom (and the media narrative) about House Bill 2: A near-majority (49 percent) said the state should not allow cities to mandate “ungendered” (my term) bathrooms, changing facilities, etc. 39 percent were OK with the infamous Charlotte ordinance.

• Also in the poll, Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper has opened a 6-point lead over incumbent GOP Gov. Pat McCrory in the governor’s race, 48-42. In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Republican Richard Burr leads Democrat Deborah Ross 37-33, with Burr winning unaffiliated voters 34-27 (clearly, many have not made a choice in this race).

• In the presidential race, Ted Cruz would defeat Hillary Clinton (barely); Clinton and Bernie Sanders would defeat Donald Trump (handily); and Sanders would stomp Cruz (go figure).

• Democrats and liberals may wish to reconsider their heightened interest in regulating gun owners, because that’s a loser among registered voters. Fifty-six percent said gun laws should either stay the same or become less strict; only 38 percent back tougher restrictions on firearms ownership.