(The Center Square) – Republicans retaining majority rule in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives with influence from North Carolina shall ride with Michael Whatley and Laurie Buckhhout.
More than $1 billion will be spent between their races. Whatley, a foregone conclusion to beat six others on the ballot Tuesday, and Buckhout, in a more competitive five candidate field, will each be heavily helped by political action committees armed with messages to hurt respective opponents Democratic Senate candidate Roy Cooper and Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Don Davis.
“This election is a choice,” Whatley told supporters at his victory party. “A choice between leadership that stands with working families, or a choice for a career politician who prioritizes radical special interests from California and New York. A choice between safer communities, or politicians who protect criminals and illegal aliens to appease radical left-wing groups.
“Roy Cooper sided with criminals and North Carolina communities have paid the price.”
Cooper told his supporters, “My opponent who just won his primary tonight is an out-of-touch D.C. insider and big oil lobbyist who’s only looking out for himself and his well-connected friends in Washington. He has pushed schemes that raised health care costs, make communities less safe, and make life harder and more expensive for working families.”
Cooper won two four-year terms as governor, and four four-year terms as attorney general. Whatley led the Republican National Committee as chairman, and the North Carolina Republican Party as chairman.
“How out of touch is Michael Whatley?” Cooper asked. “While your costs go up, Michael Whatley says prices are down. When your local law enforcement needs more funding to make communities safe, Michael Whatley supports DOGE cuts that take money away from them. When you wish you could afford your health care premium, Michael Whatley celebrates a bill that makes it cost even more.
“It’s dead wrong and it’s got to change.”
DOGE is the acronym for the Department of Government Efficiency.
“Roy Cooper has never seen a dollar that he didn’t want to tax and spend,” Whatley said. “I’ve never seen a tax I didn’t want to cut.”
Republicans have won each of five races for U.S. Senate since Democrat Kay Hagan’s 2008 triumph. Cooper is trying to be the first Democrat in a North Carolina midterm to win a chamber seat since 1998.
It’s back to 1882 for the last time a Republican won a seat for the northeastern part of the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. Buckhout was close two years ago, and state Republicans redrew two of 14 districts to help this time.
“Don Davis has spent his time in Congress doing little for this district while voting for the largest tax hike in American history and siding with Washington insiders instead of eastern North Carolina’s farmers, workers and small businesses,” Buckhout said after winning. “I spent my career as a U.S. Army colonel leading troops in combat and defending this country. Now I’m ready to take that same mission-first leadership to Washington – to stand up to weak politicians like Don Davis and fight for safer communities, a stronger economy, and the people of eastern North Carolina.”
Davis says his priorities are the rural economy, accessibility for health care, veterans and military families, education, rural infrastructure, women’s rights and health, equity and justice, and the environment.
