Roy Cooper kicks off North Carolina Senate race six points up over Michael Whatley

Published August 1, 2025 8:51am ET



Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) led Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley by 6 percentage points in the first major poll of the 2026 North Carolina Senate race.

The Emerson College poll, obtained by Politico, showed Cooper with 47% compared to Whatley’s 41%, with 12% unsure. Cooper has a massive lead among independents, with 47% supporting him and 28% supporting Whatley.

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