Michael Whatley’s Campaign Pauses Television Ads in North Carolina
Michael Whatley, the Republican nominee for the North Carolina Senate, has decided to temporarily halt television advertisements, according to The Raleigh News & Observer. This move comes as the campaign reassesses its strategy, particularly in light of funding cuts from Republican political action committees (PACs) aimed at candidates in solidly Republican states.
As of Wednesday, Whatley was trailing behind former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper by nine points, highlighting the challenges he faces in the upcoming election. A source expressed confidence in the campaign’s ability to reach late-breaking supporters, indicating they believe they have adequate resources to make a strong showing on Election Day.
The Senate Leadership Fund, a prominent Republican super PAC, has also stopped its spending in North Carolina after investing $30 million in support of Whatley. Instead, they plan to redirect their resources, committing $14 million for Kansas—a state that hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 1939—and over $100 million for the Senate race in Texas, using their affiliate, Texas PAC.
Meanwhile, Americans for Prosperity Action, a PAC closely aligned with the Koch brothers, did not include North Carolina in its $22 million spending plan for other key Republican Senate races. In addition, another group, Old North Action, withdrew $6.5 million in advertisement reservations last month.
No Going Back PAC, which is backed by Trump, did not plan any advertisements for the week of October 5 in North Carolina and was instead focusing on spending under $90,000 in Georgia. Collectively, super PACs like MAGA Inc. and Safety and Affordability PAC had already invested over $163 million in ad buys since September 1.
WinSenate, a super PAC linked to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Senate Majority PAC, removed around $1.1 million in ad spending for North Carolina, noting Cooper’s strong lead. Despite having $18.8 million in future reservations, the decision reflects concerns about the race’s dynamics.
In terms of voter sentiment, a recent poll indicated that 53% of registered voters would choose Democrats if the election were held today, compared to 41% for Republicans. Independent voters notably favored Democrats by a significant margin of 25 points.
Additionally, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has been running ads in states like Alaska, Iowa, Ohio, and New Hampshire, but it notably hasn’t put any funds toward supporting Whatley or his counterpart in Georgia.
