Republicans defund Trump-backed Senate candidate in critical North Carolina race | North Carolina

A major Republican political action committee has ended financial support for its North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley, according to multiple reports, as the party begins to sort through its resources amid increasingly dire midterm polls.

The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), the campaign arm of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, has pulled back its advertising spending in North Carolina to redirect its support to other candidates, Semafor reported Friday. The New York Times, CNN and other publications confirmed the information with sources close to the fund.

Thom Tillis’ retirement from the U.S. Senate opened the door for Democrats to flip his seat. Former Gov. Roy Cooper, a venerable presence in state politics, easily won the Democratic nomination. Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, was hand-picked by Donald Trump and considered a more traditional candidate than other Republican contenders in the hotly contested state.

The SLF had pledged $71 million to hold North Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat and began targeting Cooper even before he won the nomination. The fund ran ads last year attempting to link Cooper to the killing of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, in an unprovoked attack aboard a light rail train in Charlotte. Cooper was not on duty at the time of the attack.

Pac’s North Carolina advertising has always focused on crime and public safety, with a series of interviews with crime victims. Ronald Hayes, whose son Shemar was murdered in 2024, appeared in one of these ads. Hayes later said he was “conned” by the SLF, thinking he was going to appear in an anti-gun violence ad and not a political campaign ad.

The SLF had planned to spend an additional $30 million to support Whatley. But the polling data presents an increasingly difficult political situation for Republicans trying to control the Senate. The Republicans now have a majority of 53 votes to 47. With Vice President JD Vance as the tiebreaker, the Republicans can only afford to lose three seats to maintain control.

The Cook Political Report calls the North Carolina Senate race “leaning Democratic.” Seven other races are draws; five are currently held by Republicans, including seats in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Ohio and Texas. Roger Marshall, the senator from Kansas, faces a stiff challenge from Adam Hamilton, a Methodist minister. Cook believes the race is “leaning Republican.”

The SLF would redirect its spending in North Carolina to support Marshall.

Cooper has consistently maintained a lead over Whatley in the polls, despite the deluge of political ads. An AARP poll released Monday gives Cooper an 11-point lead, consistent with other recent polls. Cooper has never been less than four points ahead of Whatley in any poll this year.

In-person early voting begins October 15 in North Carolina.