Roy Cooper looks to flip North Carolina Senate seat by defeating Re­pub­lican Michael Whatley – Spectrum News

Roy Cooper looks to flip North Carolina Senate seat by defeating Re­pub­lican Michael Whatley  Spectrum News

Republicans also have lost just three North Carolina Senate contests in the last 50 years. Roy Cooper’s winning streak in North Carolina elections will be tested on Tuesday as the former Democratic governor faces off with President Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate Michael Whatley in a state that often sends Republicans to the U.S. Senate. The race is one of Democrats’ best chances to flip a Republican-held seat as they try to win back control of the chamber. The incumbent, Thom Tillis, is retiring after clashing with Trump last year, setting the stage for an open contest. Trump won North Carolina in all three of his presidential campaigns, and the Senate campaign will reveal how much his standing has slipped at a moment of widespread frustration over inflation and the war with Iran.

Whatley, 58, a former state and national party chair, has never held elected office before, and he’s trailed Cooper in fundraising. Republicans shifted campaign cash away from North Carolina in October, a sign that they were pessimistic about Whatley’s chances. Democrats need to add four seats in the Senate to gain control, and Cooper, 69, is one of the party’s prized recruits. He previously won four terms as state attorney general and two terms as governor. A loss would dampen Democrats’ hopes of winning the majority and potentially