(The Center Square) – Republican Michael Whatley’s push to win a U.S. Senate seat from North Carolina got a $71 million push on Monday from the Senate Leadership Fund, part of a $342 million effort in multiple races.
It’s the first of what could be multiple injections to a campaign against Democrat Roy Cooper. While the Republican Party has regularly filled the state’s seats in the chamber, the former two-term governor has consistently polled ahead of Whatley and with arguable authority.
“A failed governor, Roy Cooper spent eight years releasing violent criminals into North Carolina’s communities, drove up costs for working families, and deserted thousands of victims devastated by Hurricane Helene,” said Executive Director Alex Latcham. “By contrast, Michael Whatley is a successful entrepreneur and strong ally of President Trump who always puts North Carolina’s families first. Senate Leadership Fund is proud to support Michael Whatley’s campaign for U.S. Senate and ensure that Roy Cooper is never again allowed to harm the people of North Carolina.”
Whatley served as state party chairman before his selection by Trump to lead the Republican National Committee. Second-term Republican President Donald Trump has won the state three consecutive cycles.
Senate Majority PAC press secretary Christyna Thompson, in an email to The Center Square, said, “Republicans know they’re staring down defeat this November, so it’s no surprise they’re showing their hand this early. When your record is circling the drain, your whole agenda is linked to an unpopular president, and your best hope is an out-of-touch candidate like Whatley you respond by trying to get ahead of curve. But we’ve seen this play before: GOP investing early in weak nominees just to burn millions in cash with nothing to show for it.”
In a poll released last Tuesday by the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service at Catawba College, Cooper led Whatley 48%-34%.
In a poll released March 26 by Carolina Journal, Cooper led 48.9%-41.1%.
In a poll released March 16 by Public Policy Polling, Whatley was in a statistical tie having gotten inside the +/- 4.2% margin of error trailing 47%-44%.
In the primary Election Day on March 3, each candidate roared to victory.
Cooper, of Raleigh, was the overwhelming choice (92%) in a field with Concord’s Justin Dues (2.7%), Wilmington’s Marcus William (2.5%), Jacksonville’s Daryl Farrow (1.2%), High Point’s Orrick Quick (0.9%) and Rocky Point’s Robert Colon (0.8%).
Whatley, of Gastonia, earned 64.6% of the votes in charging past Waxhaw’s Don Brown (15.6%), Garner’s Thomas Johnson (5.7%), Cary’s Michele Morrow (5.6%), Smithfield’s Elizabeth Temple (3.8%), Durham’s Richard Dansie (2.4%) and the already disqualified Margot Dupre (2.4%) listed from Charlotte but later found to be more accurately from Florida.
In campaign filing through Feb. 11 with the Federal Elections Commission, Cooper has $14.2 million cash on hand and Whatley $2.5 million.
Cooper is unbeaten in statewide elections six times. Whatley has a rousing endorsement from Trump.
North Carolina’s historical patterns yield as much intrigue as the race’s expense forecast of $500 million to $750 million. The state has picked just three Republicans as governor since 1900. Yet federally, it has backed only two Democrats for president in 60 years and has sent only four Democrats to the U.S. Senate in 50 years. None of the presidents (Jimmy Carter, Barrack Obama) won the state in their reelection bids, and none of the senators won a second term.
Senate races in the state have gone to Republicans five consecutive times the last 15 years, and seven of eight this century.
Cooper will be the sixth former governor of the state to try for the U.S. Senate. One from each major party has lost, and three Democrats have been successful.
The Senate Leadership Fund’s other contributions were $79 million in Ohio; $45 million in Michigan; $44 million in Georgia; $42 million in Maine; $29 million in Iowa; $17 million in New Hampshire; and $15 million in Alaska.
