Michael Whatley
North Carolina Republican Party chairman
Latest stories
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Convicted sex offender offered opening prayer at rally for GOP Senate nominee in North Carolina
A North Carolina pastor who led the opening prayer at a recent campaign stop for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley is a registered sex offender, twice sentenced to prison. Records show pastor Daimon L. King was convicted in 1998 and again in 2010 for offenses involving children. Democrats...
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Cooper defends record as Trump, Whatley hammer him on public safety, Helene
North Carolina “has become a crime-ridden state” under former Gov. Roy Cooper, President Donald Trump said Wednesday. Data shows crime has been dropping for years.
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Michael Whatley seeks to boost US Senate campaign with speech at RNC convention
Whatley is going all-in on his support for Republican President Donald Trump, as he trails Democratic candidate Roy Cooper in polls and fundraising.
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As new report shows NC crime rates down, Whatley keeps public safety a focus of US Senate race
U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley rallied with supporters in Fayetteville Thursday, warning about threats to public safety and promoting endorsements he has won from police groups.
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Fact-check: Political ads attacking Cooper link COVID-era NC inmate release to unrelated murders
The Senate Leadership Fund is attacking Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper, the former governor, for agreeing to a settlement that led to the release of inmates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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U.S. Senate candidates debate immigration ahead of midterm election
With just over two months to go before the midterm elections, the focus is on the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina, where candidates Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley are sharpening their approaches. Both candidates express a desire for secure borders, yet their strategies diverge significantly.
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Cooper, Whatley on immigration: A fight over how to focus enforcement
North Carolina U.S. Senate candidates Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley agree on deporting immigrants accused of violent crimes but disagree on much else, including how to enforce immigration laws and whether President Donald Trump’s approach has gone far enough, or too far.
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New poll on MAGA, democratic-socialist identity underscores power of moderates in NC elections
One-third of North Carolinians align themselves with President Donald Trump’s “make America great again” movement, and fewer than one-third of North Carolinians align with democratic socialists, according to the results of a new Elon University poll.
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Safety and affordability: Why NC’s U.S. Senate candidates keep hitting the same themes
Roy Cooper blames Republicans for rising inflation and income inequality. Michael Whatley blames Democrats for crime. Experts say their messages are each carefully crafted to give them the best chance at winning a seat in the U.S. Senate.
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Spending in U.S. Senate race in North Carolina continues to climb
Americans for Prosperity Action is announcing $5.6 million in national advertising in seven battleground states. One of them is here in North Carolina.
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Cooper maintains lead in NC’s US Senate race, but Whatley gaining in recognition, Elon poll shows
Democrat Roy Cooper has an 11-point lead over Republican Michael Whatley among likely voters in the race to fill the seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, according to a new Elon University poll.
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PACs ramp up ad spending in North Carolina's US Senate race
More ads are hitting the airwaves in North Carolina’s closely watched U.S. Senate race as the elections heat up with three months left in the race.
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US Senate candidate Michael Whatley answers how he'll make NC safer
Republican senate candidate Michael Whatley held a rally near the Triad with local law enforcement leaders where he touted his commitment to improving public safety. He spoke specifically about he will do as senator to make the state safer.
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As polls narrow, Cooper gets specific on how he'd lower costs if elected to US Senate
Democrat Roy Cooper told supporters he'll bring down costs if he becomes North Carolina's next U.S. senator. Republican Michael Whatley, meanwhile, is taking aim at Cooper’s past policies.
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Should Congress trade stocks? Where NC's politicians stand, and how much they trade
WRAL’s analysis of congressional ethics forms shows three of the state’s U.S. Representatives made potential six-figure profits in 2025 alone off their stock trades.
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National Democrats inject $11 million more into NC Senate race
The D.C. money comes as Democrat Roy Cooper leads in polls and fundraising, but Republican Michael Whatley is gaining ground with the help of his own support from Washington.
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Cooper raises $14.8 million in 3 months, new poll shows Whatley gaining ground
Democrat Roy Cooper has long been one of the most prolific fundraisers in North Carolina politics, and in the past three months he raised nearly triple what his Republican challenger Michael Whatley did.
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Michael Whatley holds 'no tax on tips' roundtable as US Senate race heats up in NC
North Carolina's Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Michael Whatley, says he wants tipped workers in North Carolina to keep more of their money. He is supporting a bill making its way through the statehouse to remove tax on tips and overtime.
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Michael Whatley holds campaign roundtable on 'No Tax on Tips' as Senate race heats up
North Carolina's Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Michael Whatley, says he wants tipped workers in North Carolina to keep more of their money. He is supporting a bill making its way through the statehouse to remove tax on tips and overtime.
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‘Jacksandrei Blakenekov’: Pro-Hurricanes post by US Senate candidate skewered by NC fans over AI use
Carolina Hurricanes fans denounced Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley’s use of artificial intelligence in a message supporting the team ahead of its Game 1 home loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final. It’s 'not a big deal,’ he says.
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Where NC politicians stand on Trump’s $1.78B ‘slush fund’ for January 6 defendants
Thom Tillis, Roy Cooper aligned against Trump plan that could pay supporters who assaulted police on January 6, 2021. Michael Whatley says he supports it.
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‘Worse than we thought’: NC lawmakers investigate release of prisoners during COVID pandemic
North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall says a new committee investigating a 2021 settlement that released 3,500 North Carolina prisoners is expected to meet soon, and that he’s troubled by what they’ve found.
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Cooper leads Whatley in new polls as NC voters sour on economy
A new Opinion Diagnostics poll shows Democrat Roy Cooper with a 9-point lead over Republican Michael Whatley in the race for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat as other polls indicate increased restlessness over the economy among the state’s voters.
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Cooper outraised Whatley in early 2026, as millions poured into both campaigns
People and political groups have already given more than $50 million to the U.S. Senate campaigns for Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley. Each campaign says momentum is on their side.
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As NC voters lose faith in the economy, Cooper and Whatley visit Triangle promising hope
More than half of North Carolina adults think the economy worsened during President Donald Trump’s second term. Now candidates for North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat are pitching ways to put more money in people's pockets.
