Trump Says He’s “Worried” About His Handpicked GOP Senate Pick in North Carolina as Polls Show Cooper Leading

President Donald Trump said Friday he is "worried" about Michael Whatley’s prospects in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race, while praising Whatley and expressing hope that he will prevail. The remarks came as the Senate Leadership Fund, a major Republican-aligned super PAC, announced it would pause its remaining advertising in the state and reallocate resources to other contests.

“I am worried about him,” Trump told reporters as he departed for a campaign rally in Alabama. He added that Whatley was “a great man,” “a great leader for the whole Republican Party” and “would be a great senator.”

Polling Picture: Cooper Generally Ahead

Recent public polls have generally shown Democrat Roy Cooper leading Whatley, though margins vary across surveys and subgroups. An AARP poll conducted Sept. 17–20 of 1,115 likely voters (margin of error ±2.9 percentage points) found Cooper at 53% and Whatley at 42%. That same survey showed a different split by age: Whatley led 51% to 45% among voters 50 and older, while Cooper led among voters younger than 50.

Other recent measures include:

• InsiderAdvantage (Sept. 16–17): Cooper 48.4% vs. Whatley 42.5%
• High Point University (Sept. 16): Cooper 50% vs. Whatley 42%
• Quantus Insights (Sept. 21–22): Cooper 48.4% vs. Whatley 43.3%
• Carolina Journal (Sept. 17): Cooper 49% vs. Whatley 34% (12% undecided)

Pollsters use different methodologies and samples, so results are not directly interchangeable. Still, the recent surveys cited here have largely shown Cooper with an advantage going into the final weeks of the campaign.

Spending Shift: Senate Leadership Fund Pauses Remaining Ads

The Senate Leadership Fund, which at one point pledged up to $71 million for the North Carolina race, said it will pause its remaining advertising in the state after already spending more than $30 million. Reporters said the group will redirect remaining funds to other competitive Senate contests — a decision reflecting how national Republican groups allocate finite resources across battlegrounds.

North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley listens as President Donald Trump speaks on September 16 in Gastonia, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The pause does not mean Whatley has ended his campaign or that all Republican support has vanished. Whatley remains active on the trail and has said he expects additional support. “We are going to continue to get support,” he told supporters at a Sept. 25 event in Pittsboro, noting recent visits by the president and Vice President JD Vance to the state.

Candidate Background and Stakes

Michael Whatley is a North Carolina Republican who resigned as chair of the Republican National Committee to run for the Senate. He previously served as chief of staff to former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, chaired the North Carolina Republican Party from 2019 to 2024, and worked at the U.S. Department of Energy during the George W. Bush administration. This is his first run for public office.

Trump backed Whatley for the RNC chairmanship in 2024 and has campaigned with him in North Carolina, including at a Sept. 16 rally in Gastonia where the president urged voters to treat the Senate race as a vehicle to support his agenda: “In this election, I'm asking you to pretend I'm on the ballot just one more time,” he said.

The race is widely watched as a test of Trump’s influence in a state he carried in each of his presidential bids and narrowly won in 2024. North Carolina remains competitive in statewide contests; roughly one-third of registered voters are unaffiliated, making independent voters a crucial swing constituency. Several polls show Cooper holding an edge among independents, though findings differ by survey.

What’s Next

Nationally, Democrats are aiming to pick up four Senate seats to take control of the chamber, while Republicans seek to defend their majority. North Carolina’s contest is one of the most closely watched races in that broader battle. Voters will choose their next U.S. senator on Nov. 3, and the remaining weeks give both campaigns opportunities to sway undecided voters and respond to the current polling landscape.

Newsweek reporters and editors used Martyn, the outlet's AI assistant, to produce the original story. Newsweek has reached out to both campaigns for comment.