President Donald Trump said Friday that he is concerned about Michael Whatley’s campaign for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, as a major Republican-aligned political action committee paused advertising in the race and recent polls showed Democratic former Governor Roy Cooper pulling ahead. The president added that Whatley “would be a great senator.” The comments arrive the same day the Senate Leadership Fund, a major Republican-aligned super PAC, announced it would pause its remaining advertising spending in North Carolina and redirect resources to other Senate races.
The group had already spent more than $30 million in the state. Whatley is running against Cooper for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Senator Thom Tillis. Newsweek has reached out to Whatley and Cooper for comment.
Recent polling has consistently shown Cooper ahead of Whatley, although the size of the lead has varied among pollsters. The AARP poll, published last week, found Cooper receiving 53 percent support compared with 42 percent for Whatley. The survey was conducted September 17-20 among 1,115 likely voters, with a margin of error plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
The same poll showed a different picture among older voters. Whatley led Cooper 51 percent to 45 percent among voters age 50 and older. Cooper led among voters younger than 50.
An InsiderAdvantage poll conducted September 16-17 had Cooper at 48.4 percent and Whatley at 42.5 percent, while a High Point University survey conducted September 16 found Cooper leading 50 percent to 42 percent, and a Quantus Insights poll conducted September 21-22 put Cooper at 48.4 percent and Whatley at 43.3 percent. A Carolina Journal poll released September 17 found Cooper with a larger lead, 49 percent to 34 percent, with 12 percent undecided. The surveys use different methodologies and samples, so their results are not directly interchangeable.
Nevertheless, the recent polling cited above has consistently shown Cooper ahead. The polling results come amid a significant change in Republican campaign spending. The Senate Leadership Fund had previously pledged as much as $71 million toward the North Carolina race.
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