{"id":3963,"date":"2026-06-24T12:34:52","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T12:34:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=3963"},"modified":"2026-06-24T12:34:52","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T12:34:52","slug":"roy-cooper-leads-michael-whatley-by-14-points-in-new-nc-senate-race-poll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=3963","title":{"rendered":"Roy Cooper leads Michael Whatley by 14 points in new NC Senate race poll"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

SALISBURY, N.C. (WNCN) \u2014 Democrat Roy Cooper holds a 14-point lead over Republican Michael Whatley in the race for North Carolina\u2019s U.S. Senate seat, a poll released Tuesday shows.<\/p>\n

Read more Cubs manager Craig Counsell perplexed by rainout and irked by \u2018terrible rule\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

The poll from Catawba College-YouGov was based on weighted results from 1,000 North Carolina residents, who took part in an online survey from June 1 to June 10. 905 of the recipients were likely votes in the Senate race.<\/p>\n

Cooper maintains distance from Whatley<\/h2>\n

The poll found Cooper, who served as governor from 2017 to 2025, was supported by 48% of respondents. Whatley, the chair of the Republican National Committee from 2024 to 2025, received 34% support. 15% were undecided.<\/p>\n

The results are similar to the March survey, which showed Cooper leading Whatley by 15 points.<\/p>\n

Michael Bitzer, director of Catawba College\u2019s Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service, attributed Cooper\u2019s lead to stronger support from independents.<\/p>\n

Among their own parties, Cooper is supported by 80% of Democrats and Whatley is supported by 77% of Republicans. But 50% of independents back Cooper, while only 23% back Whatley.<\/p>\n

\u201cCooper\u2019s advantage is not simply a function of Democratic support,\u201d Blitzer said in a statement. \u201cHis lead is being driven by independents, who currently support him by more than two-to-one over Whatley. That independent vote can often be a decisive factor in statewide North Carolina elections.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the numbers being in Cooper\u2019s favor, Bltizer noted nearly a quarter of independents are undecided about the election as of the survey.<\/p>\n

Blitzer also credited the polling numbers to a traditional midterm environment that favors the party not in the White House.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year appears to be setting up as a classic mid-term environment: a referendum on the president and his party,\u201d Blitzer continued in his statement. \u201cCooper has a commanding portion of those North Carolinians who disapprove of the president, which is a majority of likely voters so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the poll, Cooper has the support 77% of North Carolina residents who disapprove of Trump. Two-thirds of those who approve of Trump are supporting Whatley.<\/p>\n

Cooper also has more support from both men and women, although he holds only a six-point advantage among men compared to his 20-point lead among women, according to the poll.<\/p>\n

In the state\u2019s regions, the poll found Cooper has the lead among city voters by 37 points, rural voters by 11 points, and suburban voters by five points. Whatley has a five-point lead in surrounding suburban\/exurban counties.<\/p>\n

North Carolina\u2019s Senate race is considered to be the most competitive of the 2026 midterms and critical to determining which party will control Congress next year. The seat is currently held by Republican Thom Tillis, is not seek re-election to a third term.<\/p>\n

Democrats have not won a Senate race in North Carolina since 2008.<\/p>\n

Independents sink Trump\u2019s approval in North Carolina<\/h2>\n

In the same poll, Republican President Donald Trump received a 43% approval rating from North Carolina residents, while 54% disapproved.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s numbers in the state were slightly higher than his national approval, which the poll attributed to support from North Carolina Republicans.<\/p>\n

Read more Family mourns as man is taken off life support days after NC crash; driver was fleeing police, officers say<\/a><\/p>\n

The poll showed a partisan divide of 86% Republicans approving of the president and nearly 80% of Democrats disapproving, but independents played a key factor in putting Trump\u2019s approval below 50%.<\/p>\n

According to the poll, two-third of independents disapprove of Trump, whereas 28% approve.<\/p>\n

Blitzer made note of how Trump is viewed in North Carolina\u2019s various regions. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile six in ten North Carolinians who live in major cities disapprove of Trump, 55% in urban suburbs and rural communities also disapprove,\u201d Bitzer noted. \u201cTrump performs best in the state\u2019s exurban counties that surround the urban counties, where 54% approve and 44% disapprove.\u201d<\/p>\n

By contrast, the poll found Democratic Gov. Josh Stein holds a 53% approval rating and a 27% disapproval. Stein received approval from three-quarters of Democrats, 53% of independents, and 36% of Republicans.<\/p>\n

A shift in how North Carolina Republicans see themselves<\/h2>\n

The poll looked at other political debates in North Carolina, including whether Republicans saw themselves as being more aligned with Trump or the party. Last October and this January, 55% chose Trump and 44% chose the party, but the new poll showed 68% now identify more with the party than Trump, a 24-point change.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a significant shift among Republicans in North Carolina,\u201d Bitzer said in his statement. \u201cGOP voters remain overwhelmingly Republican, but many appear less likely than they were six months ago to define themselves primarily through their support for Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis shift seems to signal a noticeable \u2018cooling\u2019 to Trump-centered Republican identity, driven by suburban and female respondents,\u201d he continued in his statement. \u201cEven among Trump\u2019s own 2024 voters, there was a significant movement away from being a \u2018Trump Republican\u2019, from 60% in January down to 43% in June.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis could indicate Trump fatigue inside the Republican coalition \u2014 voters remain Republican-aligned, but perhaps less Trump-personalized.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other elections, topics in North Carolina<\/h2>\n

A majority in North Carolina disapproved of both parties in Congress, according to the poll, with 54% disapproving of Republicans and 51% disapproving of Democrats. 13% approved of both parties, 30% approved of only Democrats, 27% approved of only Republicans, and 30% disapproved of both.<\/p>\n

Despite the general disapproval of both parties, Democratic U.S. candidates have an eight-point lead over Republicans, 46% to 37%, an increase of three points from the March survey. 13% are undecided, according to the poll.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen analyzed by those who approve versus disapprove of the parties in Congress, the overall eight-point Democratic advantage remains,\u201d Bitzer said in a statement. \u201cAmong those who disapprove of both parties, Democrats are 18 points ahead of Republicans, 48 to 30%. Of those who approve of both parties, Democrats hold an 8-point advantage, 48 to 40%.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the poll, North Carolina residents are split on who they think will control both chambers of Congress in the 2026 midterms; 37% believe it will be the Democrats and 37% believe it will be the Republicans.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne party is obviously going to be disappointed come November\u2019s results,\u201d Bitzer noted. \u201cWhile a quarter of North Carolinians foresee a divided Congress, partisans within each camp have clear majorities saying their party is going to take over, or retain, control of Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the North Carolina General Assembly races, according to the poll, Democrats have a six-point advantage in the state House and an eight-point advantage in the state Senate. The North Carolina Supreme Court race currently has Democratic incumbent Anita Earls with a five-point advantage over Republican challenger Sarah Stevens, 40% to 35%, while two in 10 voters are undecided.<\/p>\n

The poll found most North Carolina residents, 54% oppose sending U.S. troops to Iran. Only a quarter of residents support such action.<\/p>\n

Read more NC mother facing disturbing abuse charges after neighbor rescues children, warrants show<\/a><\/p>\n

More information about the poll can be found on the Catawba College website.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Democrat Roy Cooper holds a 14-point lead over Republican Michael Whatley in the race for North Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat, a poll released Tuesday shows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3962,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nRoy Cooper leads Michael Whatley by 14 points in new NC Senate race poll - Raleigh Moving News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=3963\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Roy Cooper leads Michael Whatley by 14 points in new NC Senate race poll - 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