Whatley urges volunteers to remember what’s at stake for GOP ahead of midterms
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Whatley warns midterms could decide which party controls the Senate in 2027.
- Republicans hold narrow House and Senate majorities; NC seen as pivotal.
- GOP candidate spoke to those who will knock doors; polls show low name recognition.
The reality that North Carolina could decide which party controls the Senate in 2027 isn’t lost on Republicans.
Former Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley, 58, a candidate for Senate, emphasized that Saturday to volunteers at an event in Charlotte.
“Midterms are going to be hard,” Whatley said, “and there’s a very strong likelihood that North Carolina is going to decide whether Republicans have a majority in the Senate or not.”
Republicans now hold the majority in both the House and Senate, by narrow margins.
The U.S. Senate is made up of 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents, who caucus with Democrats. Both of North Carolina’s senators are Republican, and the state’s voters haven’t elected a Democrat since 2008.
But Democrats are running a popular two-term past governor, Roy Cooper, who has won every election he’s ever run since 1987.
And while Whatley led the Republican Party during the 2024 election and the state’s party from 2019 to 2024, polls are proving that only the most attuned political observers paid attention and recognized his name.
Knocking on doors for Whatley
Whatley was speaking to around 40 people on Saturday who volunteered for Americans for Prosperity Action to go knock on doors on Whatley’s behalf to help educate voters about his campaign.
To McClatchy, Whatley said he was excited by the support and felt it was genuine.
Saturday marked the first day of canvassing for the conservative action group founded by Charles and David Koch. Volunteers will now go out every weekend until Nov. 4, across the country, knocking on doors on behalf of candidates the group endorses this cycle.
With one week left before Whatley’s March 3 primary, he came out Saturday to thank the volunteers.
And it was clear that campaigning had taken its toll, with Whatley admitting he “blew out his voice.”
“The hazards of four flights this week at 6 a.m. and about 27 different events,” Whatley quipped. “But I was not going to miss this.”
Whatley reminded the volunteers what was at stake from Republicans’ perspective: President Trump’s entire agenda.
“You think about all the things that we fought for with President Trump, with the Republican House, the Republican Senate in 2024 — rebuilding our economy, restoring our borders and keeping our communities safe, making sure that America is strong and respected again around the world — those issues are on the ballot now, because if the Democrats take the House and they take the Senate and they impeach the president and they impeach the vice president… and they shut down the American First common sense agenda that we ran on in this last cycle, that is going to cripple America.”
He reminded volunteers that Cooper stood against The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a tax and spending package that included much of Trump’s 2024 campaign promises.
‘I need you to go run in this race’
It was that same bill that caused Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from Huntersville, to decide to retire from Congress. He and Trump got into a public feud over the bill because Tillis was told it would leave more than 600,000 people without Medicaid coverage.
McClatchy asked Whatley on Saturday what sets him apart from Tillis.
“Honestly, it’s that, the president called and said, ‘I need you to go run in this race,’” Whatley said. “Thom served eight years in the (North Carolina) House, 12 years in the Senate. He’s done a lot for North Carolina, and it was his decision to step down at this time.”
During his speech to volunteers, Whatley criticized Cooper’s record for releasing inmates during the COVID-19 pandemic because of a lawsuit settlement.
Whatley promised if he was elected that he would fight for job creation, better pay, bringing down costs, community safety and supporting the military.
What he didn’t address was the other five candidates in the Republican primary, including retired Judge Advocate General and author Don Brown and controversial past candidate and nurse Michele Morrow. This is a common strategy for candidates who believe they’re leading in an election.
Whatley warned the volunteers the Senate race is expected to break campaign finance records, costing between $600 million and $800 million.
He said that meant voters will be bombarded with relentless texts, emails and ads that will all become noise.
“The only thing that cuts through the noise is you,” Whatley said. “It’s a five-minute conversation with an undecided voter, a voter that doesn’t know if they’re going to vote or who they’re going to vote for, and it’s a conversation that you have with them, and you tell them, this election matters, and this candidate, Michael Whatley, who’s going to fight for you. It matters.”
That was a message supported by Tyler Voigt, senior advisor of AFP Action . He thanked the volunteers for coming out on a rainy Saturday to knock on doors, then joined them, and others across the state, in doing just that.
Seeking voters who might be swayed
Near UNC-Charlotte, Voigt pulled up an application on his cell phone that showed which voters might be swayed to vote for Whatley.
He walked up to a door and knocked.
A younger woman answered and was handed pamphlets about Whatley before being asked if she was supportive of him as a candidate.
She was still undecided.
“What issue is most important to you,” Voigt asked.
“Community safety,” she answered.
“A lot of people are feeling unsafe,” Voigt replied. “Michael Whatley supports strong public safety — an agenda that’s going to keep people feeling better about how they’re feeling right now. Meanwhile, Roy Cooper has supported policies, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you. … Would you consider voting for Michael Whatley?”