(The Center Square) – Democrat Roy Cooper is 14% ahead of Republican Michael Whatley in a poll released Tuesday by the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service at Catawba College.
Conducted with YouGov, the 1,000 respondents ages 18 and older favored the former two-term governor 48%-34% in the race for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Republican Thom Tillis last June said he was done with the partisan gridlock of the Beltway and would not seek a third term.
“What stands out is the contrast between the Senate race and the broader partisan environment,” said Dr. Michael Bitzer, director of the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service. “Cooper’s double-digit lead, even as both parties have relatively weak standing, suggests voters are potentially responding more to the candidate’s familiarity and profile than to party labels alone, with some openness to crossing party lines. Cooper has shown this in his past runs, and early on it looks like he is continuing this trend.”
Sen. Kay Hagan in 2008 was the last Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state. The last Democrats to win midterms were John Edwards in 1998 and Terry Sanford in 1986. Republicans are 5-0 in Senate elections since Hagan’s triumph.
The polling was conducted March 9-18 and has +/- 3.58% margin of error.
Conducted 9 to 18 days after the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, the poll found one-third in agreement with the action and 44% disagreed. Second-term Republican President Donald Trump was given a 55% disapproval and 42% approval.
The Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service at Catawba College bills itself as “dedicated to enriching civic dialogue, deepening understanding, and fostering engagement through non-partisan initiatives. The Center promotes the ideals of public service, civic character and engagement, and informed citizenship across the state.”
