Overview

• Michael Whatley formally launched his Senate bid on July 31 with President Trump’s endorsement and backing from Senate GOP leaders John Thune and Tim Scott.
• Emerson College Polling’s August 1 survey shows Cooper leading Whatley 47 percent to 41 percent with 12 percent of voters still undecided.
• Former Gov. Roy Cooper raised a record $3.4 million in the first 24 hours of his campaign launch, underscoring the high-dollar stakes of the race.
• Both parties have swiftly coalesced around their nominees after Sen. Thom Tillis’s retirement, setting up a high-profile general election matchup.
• North Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2008, making the open seat a key pickup opportunity that could decide Senate control in 2026.