As the North Carolina Senate race heats up, candidates are ramping up their campaigns with events and public appearances. Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley recently visited Waynesville for a gathering organized by the Haywood County Republican Party, where he addressed local supporters and outlined his political stance.
The contest between Whatley and Democratic contender, former governor Roy Cooper, is critical as it is among the few races that could sway the balance of power in the U.S. Senate come November.
During his speech to approximately thirty attendees at the Waynesville Recreation Center, Whatley, who previously chaired the Republican National Committee, labeled himself as a “conservative champion” and took the opportunity to critique Cooper extensively.
“The people of North Carolina have spoken very clearly about what matters to them: More jobs and better jobs. More money. Less taxes, less regulations. Safe kids and communities,” Whatley stated. “We want criminals behind bars, not walking on the streets like my opponent Roy Cooper put them out.”
Notably absent from his remarks was any mention of Hurricane Helene, and he refrained from engaging with reporters during the event.
The Haywood County Republican Party, led by chair Kim Genova, is focused on boosting the voter turnout for their candidates by 10% compared to the 2022 midterm elections across the 11th Congressional District.
“Elections are won by few votes,” Genova expressed to BPR. “And if we take our candidates from the top of the ballot to the bottom of the ballot and we get 10% more votes for each of them than the midterms in 2022, there’s no doubt every one of our Republican candidates will win.”
This strategy, however, faces challenges amid the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s policies, which have lost favor among many voters. Recent polls suggest Cooper maintains a lead over Whatley, although some results indicate a tightening race.
Felicia Sonmez
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BPR News
Whatley encouraged those present to participate in the upcoming elections and to motivate others to cast their votes. Nonetheless, apprehensions about alleged voter fraud were expressed by attendees like Bobbie Ammons from Nantahala.
“Well, is there any reason to vote if it’s all fraud?” she remarked in an interview with BPR.
Steve Dean, another participant, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the importance of trust in the electoral process. “I mean, it’s really important, because if people don’t have confidence that the system is fair, it can have very bad consequences,” Dean commented.
Both Ammons and Dean identify as independents, representing a significant voting demographic in North Carolina that could influence the Senate race outcome.
“Independents are a group that any candidate has to pay attention to, because they’re probably going to have the people in their own party,” Dean added. “So, you have to appeal to the people that are more flexible, more likely to go one way or the other.”
The topic of election integrity has been a focal point for Trump and leading Republicans, even though no extensive fraud was discovered in the 2020 election. Some analysts suggest that this narrative may deter potential voters from participating.
In response, the Cooper campaign defended the former governor’s public safety record while criticizing Whatley for his association with Harvey West Jr, a convicted sex offender.
“Roy spent his career putting rapists and violent criminals behind bars and signing tough on crime laws as governor while Michael Whatley spent his appointing a convicted child sex predator who served time in jail to a powerful position within the North Carolina Republican Party,” the Cooper campaign stated.
The North Carolina Senate race is poised to be one of the most costly in U.S. history, with projections suggesting that spending could reach $500 million. Recent financial disclosures reveal that Cooper raised $14.8 million in the second quarter, significantly outpacing Whatley’s $5 million.
