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LAURINBURG, April 06, 2008 (The News & Observer - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) - - After a visit to the textile plant dense around him, there are only a problem in the election of Robert Bridges - to the economy.

“I worked on an offer of 31 years,” said Bridges, 58, Maxton, a former supervisor at West Point Stevens. “Facility remains closed, nobody nothing - no insurance, and is not attractive. ”

Voters, such as bridges are the reason the economy is the main concern of voters in North Carolina more than a month before the May 6th primary.

A national survey for The News and Observer news, and other national organizations, noted that the economy was no doubt the choice to drive. Economic aspects - including health care reform, employment and the rise in gas prices - The issues such as the war in Iraq.

Among voters interviewed North Carolina, 47 percent said the economy was the start of national issues, and 31 percent said, was the best. Economic Concerns across all groups, irrespective of the political party, race, age or sex.

Voters said they were particularly concerned about the gas price increases, the cost of health insurance, taxes, the slowdown in housing, and the ability to find a good job.

The only striking difference between the major political parties is that the Republicans are much more concerned about illegal immigration in the country as democrats.

In North Carolina’s high-profile Democratic presidential primary race, the candidates seek last week, economic concerns.

That’s why former President Bill Clinton was in the Scotland County Friday, about 2000 people to say that his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator, was the person entitled to the economy again on the track. This is also why Hillary Clinton began a television advertising campaign Friday talking about North Carolina’s “Vertigo” Economic Affairs.

This is also why was Senator Barack Obama with TV spots, in which he talked about American jobs and overseas are in Wisconsin, Gov. Jim Doyle, an ally Obama was see the progress of the last week in the debate about the rise in gas prices.

Few counties in North Carolina were hardest hit, as Scotland County, once in the cultivation of cotton and textile production center along the border with South Carolina, midway between Raleigh and Charlotte. The unemployment rate was 9.9 percent in February Scotland County, compared with 5.0 percent for the state. The national quota in March to 5.1 percent.

Scotland County Among the plants that were Abbott Laboratories in 2002 (974 jobs), the cardinal marks in 2003 (150 jobs), Charles Craft in 2005 (300 jobs) and Springs Industries in 2004 (200 jobs).

It was a few plant openings and expansions, but they have not offset the loss of jobs.

In interviews with voters, who have shown up to see Bill Clinton’s speech at St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Friday, it was clear that there was a fair amount of aggravation of the belt.

Carrie Chatham, 60, a patient care technicians Laurinburg, said that it had reduced the number of visits to their six grandchildren in South Carolina to save gas. Go now in the shop once a week instead of several times a week, on the theory, it is perhaps less money.

“Foodstuffs, the prices are higher,” said Chatman. “Anything that is higher. I do not have a lot of money. ”

Doug Yongue Jr., 41, Laurinburg pharmacists, said he sees the effects of the sluggish economy in the pharmacy.

“People have to choose between medicine, food and gas,” said Yongue. “They are the blood pressure medicine every other day because they have to eat and they have to drive.”

June Nance, 50, an unemployed teacher from Scotland County, said she learns to live without health insurance, exercise regularly and eat healthily.

“Praise God, I am quite healthy,” said Nance. “I pray every day that nothing happens to me seriously.”

Although Scotland County was particularly hard hit, people in the survey, there is the fear of birth on the state economy.

Mary Miller, 54, resident of Charlotte, has been looking for materials to work for two years. She is married and has no struggle financially, but it is also cutting to resume their trip in the Mall

She also concerned about the widening gap between the average wages in human beings and the rich.

“The rich growing richer,” said Miller. “The offices of ruining our company and our country.”

Even the good jobs with concerns about the future.

Tracey Beason, 45, a computer technician from Winston-Salem, “she said, and their employees are often talk about what would happen if their jobs overseas provided. She worried that the candidates for the post is over - and promises by the end of deterioration of the middle class by raising taxes too high.

War, immigration

Although the economy is dominated by voters, issues such as the Iraq war and illegal immigration, many voters above the head.

Judy Hales, 35, a dental assistant in Wilson County, concerned that the war continues. Her husband was a tour in Iraq as a reservist in the army, and he was shot in the year 2010.

“They do not want to return,” she says, “because there is a tendency to [kill] in the second or third rounds.”

Jesse Barbour, 71, a retired gardeners landscapers Willow Spring, is concerned about illegal immigration. He likes the new TV spot Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, a candidate for the GOP governor.

“When they arrive in the country and difficulties that need, in order not to be prosecuted, and sent back,” said Barbour.