Cooper Leads Whatley by 8 Points in New North Carolina Senate Poll

Overview

• A Carolina Journal/Harper Polling survey of 600 likely voters shows Roy Cooper ahead of Michael Whatley 49% to 41% with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 points.
• A separate Public Policy Polling survey puts the race at 47% to 44% in Cooper’s favor, highlighting variation between recent polls.
• Among independents, Cooper leads 52% to 32% in the Carolina Journal poll, signaling an early advantage with North Carolina’s largest voting bloc.
• The contest is for the seat Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is leaving, a rare open-seat race in a swing state that could shift the balance of the Senate.
• The same poll shows Democrats with a slight edge on generic ballots and a narrow lead for Justice Anita Earls over Sarah Stevens in the state Supreme Court race.