(The Center Square) – For every four individuals, two have heard more about Roy Cooper than Michael Whatley either a “great deal” or at least “some,” says the newest poll from Elon University.
The candidates for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Thom Tillis are forecast to set a spending record in the 2026 midterms. Cooper is the former two-term Democratic governor, and Whatley is the former chairman of both the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party.
The Elon Poll didn’t sample a voting choice for the election in 13 months. It sampled 800 adults statewide, ages 18 and up, from Sept. 23-Oct. 1 and produced a margin of error of +/- 4.24%.
“Michael Whatley faces a steep uphill climb in name recognition in the year between now and Election 2026,” said Jason Husser, director of the Elon Poll. “Even after serving in high-profile national and state party roles, almost three-quarters of North Carolinians say they’ve heard of him only a little or not at all. That’s a tough starting point for any major race, especially one in a swing state with an opponent who has an enormous visibility.”
Cooper also has a steep climb, even with a sterling election record that includes no losses in two gubernatorial campaigns and four for attorney general. Democrats have won a Senate seat just four times in 50 years, and none of those won a return. Senate races in the state have gone to Republicans five consecutive times the last 15 years, and seven of eight this century.
Republicans have sent the man for the U.S. Senate every time since Democrat Kay Hagan won in 2008, having not lost a midterm since 1998.
The poll’s other key findings included 50% disapproving of the job performance from two-term Republican President Donald Trump against 39% approving, and 63% very or somewhat concerned about federal cuts in health care spending.
Asked about conditions since Trump took office Jan. 20, 53% say inflation has gotten worse; 49% say the economy has gotten worse; and 50% say the job market has gotten worse.
Contextually from Inauguration Day until Oct. 1, the national inflation rate was 3% and is now 2.9% (August, latest available). Statewide unemployment rate was 3.7% and hasn’t moved all year (through August, latest available). And in Raleigh, via crowd-sourced Numbeo data, consumer prices for 1 pound of beef round is down 20 cents, a gallon of regular milk is down 15 cents, a loaf of fresh white bread is up 8 cents, and a regular dozen eggs are up 62 cents.
Respondents asked to give a letter grade for the national economy returned a C, D or F on 76% of the answers, and a C or lower for the North Carolina economy drew 70%.
Husser assesses, “North Carolinians’ economic concerns have heightened since President Trump took office. When three out of four residents give the national economy a C or worse, it’s more than simple partisan reaction, it’s a signal of real economic anxiety.”
