(RALEIGH) -- A new poll from Public Policy Polling finds that North Carolina will be an even more pivotal state in the 2012 presidential election than it was four years ago. Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling said right now, President Obama leads almost the entire GOP field of candidates.

The only candidate that is close is Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. "Right now Obama leads Romney 46-43 in North Carolina but most of the undecideds are Republicans so really if voters went to the polls today I think you'd see race just about as close as it was here in 2008," said Jensen.

Texas Governor Rick Perry announced his candidacy for president this weekend.