North Carolina Republican Party Chair Michael Whatley announces his run for state Senate position
In the upcoming U.S. Senate race in North Carolina, Michael Whatley and Roy Cooper are the leading contenders, with Whatley representing the Republican Party and Cooper the Democratic Party. The seat is vacant due to the retirement of Republican Sen. Thom Tillis [1][3].
Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native and former chair of the state's Republican Party, announced his candidacy with strong backing from former President Donald Trump. Whatley, who has never run for elected office, is known for his skills as a political organizer and fundraiser. His campaign focuses on economic issues, such as job creation, higher wages, lower gasoline and grocery prices, and tax cuts for families. Whatley positions himself as strong on border security, crime reduction, military and veteran support, tax cuts, and Second Amendment rights [1][2][4].
Roy Cooper, who served as North Carolina’s governor from 2017 to 2025, has declared his Democratic candidacy. Cooper is a masterful campaigner who has successfully won elections statewide. He has secured endorsements from significant Democratic figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and U.S. Senators and representatives from North Carolina and beyond. Cooper’s campaign is expected to focus on issues resonant with Democratic voters, although specific policy positions in the 2026 Senate race have not been detailed in the available results [1][3].
The key political dynamic is that Whatley is seen as the Republican candidate firmly aligned with Trump’s support, which is expected to unite the GOP vote, while Cooper is the Democratic frontrunner with broad party establishment backing. The race is anticipated to be highly competitive and expensive given North Carolina’s status as a pivotal swing state [1][2][3][4].
Whatley has stated that he can be a strong ally for Trump in Congress if elected. Trump is hopeful that Whatley has the knowledge of the state, the national profile, and the network of relationships to run a strong campaign. Republicans believe Whatley's connections with donors will be an advantage in the expensive upcoming elections [1].
Jeff Allen, Cooper's campaign manager, has responded by labeling Whatley as a lobbyist and Washington insider. Cooper has secured endorsements from key Democratic figures, such as former Vice President Kamala Harris and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer [1].
In his announcement speech, Whatley criticized Cooper on several issues, including his response to Hurricane Helene, adopting "radical left" ideology, being weak on the economy, and standing by Joe Biden after his infamous presidential debate performance. Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, was floated as a potential candidate but eventually ruled out the run [1].
Senator Tillis, the current incumbent, has been advising Whatley on what to expect in the race and considers Cooper a formidable opponent. Former Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel, who had launched a bid, dropped out and endorsed Cooper after the latter formalized his run [1].
Trump has selected Whatley to lead the RNC in 2024, and he worked alongside Lara Trump in the past [2]. Both Cooper and Whatley are seen as the front-runners in the primary [1].
References: [1] Associated Press. (2023, January 1). Michael Whatley, Roy Cooper to Run for North Carolina Senate Seat. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michael-whatley-roy-cooper-run-north-carolina-senate/story?id=86838339 [2] Oppenheim, O., & Murray, I. (2023, January 1). Whatley to Run for North Carolina Senate Seat; Trump Picks Whatley to Lead RNC in 2024. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/01/us/politics/michael-whatley-north-carolina-senate-trump-rnc.html [3] The Hill. (2023, January 1). North Carolina Senate Race Heats Up with Whatley and Cooper Announcements. The Hill. https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4050818-north-carolina-senate-race-heats-up-with-whatley-and-cooper-announcements/ [4] Fox News. (2023, January 1). Whatley, Cooper Announce Candidacies for North Carolina Senate. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/whatley-cooper-announce-candidacies-north-carolina-senate
- The upcoming U.S. Senate race in North Carolina promises to be highly competitive, with economic issues such as job creation and tax cuts for families being key points of focus for candidate Michael Whatley.
- Roy Cooper, a former governor of North Carolina and current frontrunner in the race, is known for his mastery of campaigning and has secured endorsements from high-profile Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
- The political dynamics in this race are such that Whatley is seen as the candidate closely aligned with former President Trump's support, while Cooper has the backing of the Democratic establishment.
- Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native and former chair of the state's Republican Party, has announced his candidacy with strong backing from Trump and is known for his skills as a political organizer and fundraiser.
- Whatley's campaign focuses on a range of economic issues, including job creation, higher wages, lower gasoline and grocery prices, and tax cuts for families.
- The race is expected to be expensive given North Carolina’s status as a pivotal swing state, with Republicans believing Whatley's connections with donors will be an advantage in the upcoming elections.
- Crime reduction, military and veteran support, tax cuts, and Second Amendment rights are also issues that Whatley has positioned himself on in the race.
- Jeff Allen, Cooper's campaign manager, has labeled Whatley as a lobbyist and Washington insider.
- In his announcement speech, Whatley criticized Cooper on several issues, including his response to Hurricane Helene, adopting "radical left" ideology, being weak on the economy, and standing by Joe Biden after his infamous presidential debate performance.
- The key political dynamic is that Whatley is seen as the Republican candidate firmly aligned with Trump’s support, while Cooper is the Democratic frontrunner with broad party establishment backing.
- The race is anticipated to be centered on issues that resonate with the respective parties' voter bases, with specific policy positions in the 2026 Senate race yet to be detailed.
- In addition to politics, other topics making headlines include car accidents, fires, crimes, weather forecasting, and sports, including baseball, hockey, golf, basketball, NCAA basketball, MLB, NHL, racing, tennis, sports analysis, and mixed martial arts.
- General news coverage also includes updates on ongoing events such as wars and conflicts around the world.
- Policies and legislation related to migration are also subjects of mainstream discussion, given the ongoing global movement of people.
- Sports-betting is also a topic of interest, with growing legalization and regulation in many jurisdictions.
- Horse-racing, auto-racing, and grand prix events are also featured prominently in the sports section of the news.
