GOP Super PAC Pledges $71 Million to Boost Whatley in North Carolina Senate Race

Overview

• The Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, pledged $71 million on Monday to back Michael Whatley in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race.
• The group says it will fund attack ads against Roy Cooper on crime and disaster relief and build get-out-the-vote operations, setting up a summer ad blitz in what could be a record-setting contest.
• The pledge is part of a $342 million national plan across eight battlegrounds, with North Carolina second only to Ohio’s $79 million commitment.
• Recent surveys show Cooper ahead, including Catawba College at 48% to 34% and Carolina Journal at 48.9% to 41.1%, with an earlier Public Policy Polling survey placing the race within the margin of error at 47% to 44%.
• Financial filings show Cooper held $14.2 million in cash through February 11 versus Whatley’s $2.5 million, while recent SLF donors include Elon Musk, Paul Singer, Stephen Schwarzman, Stephen Wynn, and Jude Reyes.