RALEIGH – A top North Carolina House Republican leader says GOP Gov. Pat McCrory appears to have an “uphill battle” to preserve his first two vetoes as governor.

House Majority Leader Edgar Starnes said Monday most of his Republican colleagues he’s heard from don’t plan to change how they voted on the two bills, which passed comfortably last month in the House and Senate.

One vetoed bill would have required drug testing for some welfare benefit applicants. The other would have expanded the exemption for employers required to use the E-Verify identification system for temporary workers.

McCrory must call legislators back to Raleigh for an override session by Sept. 4. He also still has 35 bills on his desk to sign, veto or let become law without his signature by this Sunday.