Cooper Extends NC Senate Edge as Whatley Struggles with Recognition

A Fox News Poll conducted July 23–27, 2026 shows Democrat Roy Cooper leading Republican Michael Whatley 53% to 44% in North Carolina’s open Senate race, a 9-point margin that grows with higher voter enthusiasm. Cooper enjoys broader appeal across moderates, under-30s, independents, college graduates, and women, and holds a 54% favorable rating to Whatley’s 40%. Whatley leads with very conservative voters, white evangelicals, non‑college whites, and rural voters, but suffers from low name recognition (14% unable to rate him). Among highly engaged voters, the margin widens to 57–42 among the extremely interested and 55–42 among the extremely motivated. About 81% of Cooper backers and 77% of Whatley backers say they are certain to vote. Inflation is the top issue (36%), and Trump remains a factor: 40% view him favorably, 58% unfavorably, and 48% worry about Whatley’s ties to Trump. The poll surveyed 1,005 registered NC voters with a margin of error ±3 points.