According to a recent survey by Research 2000 for the Web site Daily Kos, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole had 50 percent support, while Democratic rival Kay Hagan had 42 percent.
Eight percent were undecided.
The results are a little closer than other recent polls, which have generally shown Dole with a double-digit lead.
The survey of 600 likely voters was taken July 28-30. It had a margin of sampling error of 4 percentage points.
Dole's political action committee has received $848,615 in the past three years.
The Leadership Circle PAC is separate from Dole's campaign committee, so it can receive bigger contributions from donors. As a recent report and database from NPR's Marketplace shows, leadership PACs like it are booming.
Many of Dole's contributors are familiar faces. Between December 2004 and December 2007, her leadership PAC received $20,000 from lieutenant governor candidate Robert Pittenger and his wife, Suzanne; $16,750 from former gubernatorial candidate Bill Graham and his wife, Shari; and $10,000 from SAS co-founder Jim Goodnight.
Other donations came from her husband, Bob; Raleigh lawyer Kieran Shanahan; CaptiveAire owner Bob Luddy; billionaire resort builder Kirk Kerkorian; Raleigh developer John Kane; and Jack Kemp, her husband's former running mate.
The Leadership Circle PAC also received money from other PACs, including the Progress Energy PAC, Wachovia Employees Good Government Fund, the N.C. Farm Bureau, and PACs for R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard Tobacco Co., Duke Energy and Federal Express.