Roy Cooper Maintains Double-Digit Lead in North Carolina Senate Race

Democratic candidate Roy Cooper maintains a double-digit lead over Republican Michael Whatley in the race for North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat ahead of the November 3 election. The final Elon University poll shows Cooper leading by 13 percentage points, with 52% of likely voters supporting him compared to 39% for Whatley. A separate Carolina Journal poll reports a slightly narrower lead of 10.3 points, down from a 15.1-point gap in September.

Cooper's strength is driven by strong support among women, Black and Hispanic voters, and independents. While Whatley has seen gains in name recognition and support among White voters, he continues to trail. Economic concerns, specifically inflation and the cost of living, dominate the electorate, with a majority of voters stating conditions have worsened over the last two years.

President Donald Trump has intervened in the race, including a scheduled campaign event for Whatley in Greenville. However, polling suggests Trump's influence may be polarizing; 43% of voters say a Trump endorsement would make them less likely to support a candidate, and 30% say his proposed $5,000 citizen dividend makes them less likely to vote Republican.

Beyond the Senate race, Democrats lead in the North Carolina Supreme Court race and generic state ballots. However, 46% of voters believe Republicans should control the General Assembly to provide a check on Governor Josh Stein. Additionally, a majority of voters support proposed constitutional amendments regarding income tax caps, property taxes, and mandatory photo identification.