(The Center Square) – Democrat Roy Cooper leads Republican Michael Whatley 49.8%-38.7% in the newest poll reflecting North Carolinians’ choice for the U.S. Senate on Nov. 3.
Since last asked in March by the same pollster, Cooper is up 0.9% and Whatley down 2.4%. Carolina Journal, in conjunction with Harper Polling, conducted the sampling of 600 likely voters on Sunday and Monday. Margin of error is +/- 4%.
In previous samplings by the pollster, Cooper led Whatley in March 48.9%-41.1%, in November 47.3%-38.6%, and in September 46.1%-41.9%.
Thursday’s poll release also asked about image for each candidate.
Cooper is favorable for 49.8% and unfavorable to 38.5%, nominal changes to May 2025 when he was 47.5% favorable and 36.6% unfavorable. His no opinion number is down from 11.6% to 8%.
Whatley is favorable for 25.4% and unfavorable to 21.9%; he was not sampled for the question a year ago as was Cooper. Additionally, 33.4% say they’ve never heard of Whatley and 19.3% have no opinion.
Libertarian Shannon Bray is also on the ballot. The candidates are trying to succeed Sen. Thom Tillis, the second-term Republican who declined to seek a third term.
Republicans have 53 of the 100 seats in the chamber, and the purplish Old North State is viewed nationally as pivotal to the winning majority. It is one of nine battlegrounds for the 33 seats in play for the midterms, 20 occupied by the Grand Old Party and 13 by Democrats.
Cooper, from Raleigh, is a former two-term governor and four-term attorney general. Whatley, from Gastonia, is former chairman of both the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party.
Cooper is campaigning on an economic record – arguably enabled by Republican policies that began to shift the state in 2011 – and job growth; healthcare protection inclusive of his desire to expand Medicaid; and says he’s bipartisan in approach to issues rather than an ally to a particular person or party.
Whatley is clear that, as he advocated for second-term Republican President Donald Trump leading the RNC, he is aligned with the “true America first” policy agenda. He also regularly stumps on border security and immigration; and lays great blame to Cooper in both of his roles as governor and attorney general for an approach that is “soft on crime.”
The Democratic candidate for the only seat of the state Supreme Court on the November ballot also increased an edge. Democratic incumbent Justice Anita Earls leads state Rep. Sarah Stevens, R-Surry, 41.3%-35.6%. In March, Earls led 40.6%-38%.
The respondents had little change for the view of the direction of the country and haven’t since last fall.
Thursday’s release included 57.7% saying the country was on the wrong track, nominally different than the 55.7% in March, 55.4% in November and 53.7% in September. The right track was the choice of 39.1%, marginally different than 38.8% in March, 38.3% in November and 42.3% in September.
For North Carolina’s direction, there’s been more fluctuation.
The right direction is chosen today by 33.5%, compared to 33.1% in March, 34.6% in November and 38.9% in August. The wrong direction is chosen today by 53.5%, compared to 46.4% in March, 47.9% in November and 41.7% in August.
The job performance analysis of Trump slumped as well. His disapproval is 56.6% and approval is 41.5%. In March, those figures were 53.7% and 44.8%, respectively. In September, he was 49.4% approval and 49% disapproval.
