Overview
- Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley cast ballots on the first day of in-person early voting, with primaries set for March 3.
- Whatley attacked Cooper over a 2021 settlement with the NAACP and ACLU tied to the early release of about 3,500 inmates, while Cooper defended his record as a prosecutor.
- Cooper’s campaign pointed to federal pandemic-era actions moving more than 13,000 inmates to home confinement under the CARES Act during Trump’s administration.
- A Catawba College/YouGov survey showed a 46%–38% Democratic edge on the generic ballot, and separate polls have found Cooper with small leads over Whatley.
- Trump has endorsed Whatley, Cooper holds a large cash advantage ($12.3 million to $3.7 million), the seat is open due to Sen. Thom Tillis’ retirement, and the elections board has ruled GOP candidate Margot Dupre ineligible to win the primary.