Obama returning to NC on eve of election

  

CHARLOTTE, NC -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is returning to North Carolina on the eve of Election Day, punctuating his effort to become the first party winner here in more than three decades.

Obama's campaign said Friday he plans to visit the Charlotte area on Monday as part of a swing-state blitz. His office did not provide any other details.

Obama has visited North Carolina eight times during the campaign, trying to swing the state that has reliably voted for Republicans in White House races. He held a campaign event in downtown Raleigh on Wednesday.

The Illinois senator has been able to capitalize on changing demographics, thousands of new voters and a large black population to put his campaign within reach of victory. An Associated Press-GfK poll this week showed the race too close to call, with 48 percent of voters saying they support Obama and 46 percent backing Republican presidential hopeful John McCain. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

McCain avoided stops in the state for months but started bringing his campaign here as polls showed the race narrowing. He visited Fayetteville on Tuesday. His running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, will be in Raleigh on Saturday, less than a week after she campaigned in Asheville.

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