A new poll from East Carolina University's Center for Survey Research shows Democrat Roy Cooper leading Republican Michael Whatley 54% to 45% in North Carolina's U.S. Senate race, with 1% supporting a minor-party or write-in candidate. The nine-point advantage, based on a survey conducted October 26 through 29, marks a slight increase from Cooper's seven-point lead last month. The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The findings suggest a tightening race in the final days before the election, with Cooper's lead expanding rather than narrowing. The margin is driven in part by a 14-point advantage among independent voters, a key bloc in a state known for close statewide contests. Cooper also holds a net-positive favorability rating of 52% favorable to 39% unfavorable, while Whatley's ratings are underwater at 34% favorable and 44% unfavorable. Those numbers indicate that Whatley faces a challenge in winning over voters who remain uncommitted or skeptical.
Economic concerns dominate the electorate's priorities, with 47% of voters naming the economy and cost of living as their top issue. Among those voters, Cooper leads Whatley by a two-to-one margin, 67% to 33%. That split is significant because it suggests the Republican candidate is not capitalizing on the issue voters care about most, a potential liability in the closing stretch of the campaign.
The poll was conducted by the ECU Center for Survey Research, which conducts nonpartisan public opinion polling on elections, politics, and public policy issues in North Carolina and across the nation. For those seeking the full announcement, including downloadable images and additional details, click here.
The implications extend beyond the Senate race itself. North Carolina is a perennial battleground, and a nine-point Senate margin could signal broader shifts in voter sentiment that affect down-ballot races and the state's political landscape. With Election Day approaching, the poll offers a snapshot of an electorate focused on pocketbook issues and willing to back the Democratic candidate on that front. For Republicans, the results underscore the need to close the gap with independents and reverse Whatley's negative favorability numbers in the final days. For Democrats, the expanded lead provides momentum but also a reminder that a credibility interval of 3.5 points leaves room for movement. The survey's findings will likely shape both campaigns' closing messages as they make their final appeals to voters.
