Trump Worried Over Handpicked GOP Nominee in North Carolina—What Polls Show
President Donald Trump said Friday that he is concerned about Michael Whatley’s campaign for U.S. Senate in North Carolina.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concern on Friday about Republican Michael Whatley's campaign for the North Carolina U.S. Senate seat, amid recent polls indicating Democratic former Governor Roy Cooper's lead. "I am worried about him," Trump stated to reporters as he headed to Alabama for a campaign rally. Despite praising Whatley as "a great man" and "a great leader for the whole Republican Party" when Trump won, the president remarked that "he would be a great senator."
Meanwhile, the Senate Leadership Fund, a major Republican-aligned super PAC, decided to pause its remaining advertising spending in North Carolina in favor of other Senate races. The group had already invested over $30 million in the state. Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), is set to face Cooper in the Senate race vacated by Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
Multiple recent polls have consistently shown Cooper leading Whatley, though the size of the lead varies among different pollsters. The AARP poll from September 17-20 found Cooper with 53% support and Whatley with 42%, while an InsiderAdvantage poll conducted the same week had Cooper at 48.4% and Whatley at 42.5%. Other surveys, such as the High Point University survey and the Quantus Insights poll, also showed Cooper leading.
The Carolina Journal poll, released on September 17, had Cooper with a substantial 49% lead over Whatley's 34%.
Whatley, who has been endorsed by Trump, has continued his campaign in North Carolina, stating that he expects to receive the necessary support to compete. He has also had the opportunity to campaign alongside Trump, including at a September rally in Gastonia where Trump encouraged voters to view the Senate contest as a chance to support his agenda.
The race carries significant importance as it is one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the 2026 election, with Democrats aiming to gain the four Senate seats required for a chamber majority.
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