President Trump and Joe Biden are essentially tied in the presidential race in the battleground state of North Carolina, according to a poll released Monday. The former vice president has a narrow edge of 45. 7 percent to 45. 4 percent over Trump in the Tar Heel State, with just 6 percent of voters saying they are undecided, the Meredith College poll found. Trump, who won North Carolina in 2016, has an edge with independent voters — 43. 1 percent to Biden’s 39. 8 percent. He also leads among white voters by 13. 4 percentage points, males by 10. 8 points and among rural voters by 15. 6 points. Biden has a huge lead among black voters (62. 1 percentage points), women (10. 5 points) and urban voters (17. 5 points).“North Carolina is shaping up to be the key battleground everyone thought it would be heading into the election cycle. Although Trump has gained some ground with key groups like Hispanic voters, he is running behind Biden among suburban voters and women voters, two key groups that will determine the outcome of the presidential race in North Carolina, ” said Meredith’s poll director David McLennan. In the US Senate race that could determine the political makeup of the upper chamber, incumbent Thom Tillis is trailing Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham 41. 8 percent to 43. 1 percent. The poll surveyed 705 likely voters in North Carolina between Sept. 18 and 22. It has a plus/minus margin of error of 3. 5 percentage points.