WASHINGTON (AP) — Barack Obama has a 7-point edge over rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in the presidential race for Democrats in North Carolina, though she has closed in on his lead, a new survey finds.

Obama has 49 percent, compared with Clinton's 42 percent in the Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. poll.

Obama has the support of 87 percent of black voters, while Clinton leads among whites with 62 percent. He also has the backing of younger voters; he leads Clinton 63-26 among voters under age 35. The two candidates almost split voters over 50.

By party registration, Obama led 48 percent to 43 percent among Democrats and 55-38 among independent or unaffiliated voters. Fifty-five percent said they were looking most for a candidate who "represents change and a new approach," while 36 percent said they wanted someone who "has the right experience."

The poll was conducted April 28-29 for WRAL-TV in Raleigh and WBTV in Charlotte. It included interviews with 400 likely Democratic primary voters, for whom the margin of sampling error was plus or minus 5 percentage points.

(AP)