This race is in the 2026 general election.
In the 2026 North Carolina Senate general election, 30 outside groups spent $70.1M: $2.3M supporting Roy Cooper (D), $40.5M opposing Roy Cooper, $4.0M supporting Michael Whatley (R) and $23.3M opposing Michael Whatley.
outside money
- supporting Roy Cooper (D)
- $2.3M
- opposing Roy Cooper (D)
- $40.5M
- supporting Michael Whatley (R)
- $4.0M
- opposing Michael Whatley (R)
- $23.3M
Result not in yet
Election day is 3 Nov 2026.
Roy Cooper
DemocratWaiting for the count
Michael Whatley
RepublicanWaiting for the count
Outside money supporting and opposing each candidate
Both sides on one scaleRoy Cooper Democrat
$40.5M$2.3M$2.3M supporting Roy Cooper · $40.5M opposing Roy Cooper
Michael Whatley Republican
$23.3M$4.0M$4.0M supporting Michael Whatley · $23.3M opposing Michael Whatley
The candidates
What each candidate’s own campaign raised, beside what outside groups spent supporting and opposing them, and what party committees spent working with the campaign.
Roy Cooper
Democrat
- Own campaign raised
- $35.0M
- Outside money supporting
- $2.3M
- Outside money opposing
- $40.5M
Cooper for North CarolinaParty spending with the campaign
$3.4M
North Carolina Democratic Party - Federal $3.2MDSCC $248K
Michael Whatley
Republican
- Own campaign raised
- $11.3M
- Outside money supporting
- $4.0M
- Outside money opposing
- $23.3M
Whatley for SenateParty spending with the campaign
$8.0M
NRSC $8.0M
- Campaign money to 30 Jun 2026
Week by week
Outside money each week, supporting and opposing the candidates, all candidates combined.
Week of 5 Oct 2026
Supporting $1,097
The groups on each side
The biggest outside groups in this race, by what they spent supporting or opposing each candidate.
Spent supporting a candidate
- Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc.supporting Michael Whatley$2.5M
- No Going Back PACsupporting Michael Whatley$1.0M
- Progress North Carolina Actionsupporting Roy Cooper$823K
- Planned Parenthood Votes North Carolinasupporting Roy Cooper$624K
- Senate Leadership Fundsupporting Michael Whatley$364K
- Workers Votesupporting Roy Cooper$175K
- United Futures PACsupporting Roy Cooper$157K
- Progressive Turnout Projectsupporting Roy Cooper$157K
Spent opposing a candidate
- Senate Leadership Fundopposing Roy Cooper$30.0M
- WinSenateopposing Michael Whatley$21.6M
- No Going Back PACopposing Roy Cooper$8.7M
- Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc.opposing Roy Cooper$1.7M
- LCV Victory Fundopposing Michael Whatley$500K
- Edf Action Votesopposing Michael Whatley$500K
- NRDC Action Votesopposing Michael Whatley$500K
- Progress North Carolina Actionopposing Michael Whatley$143K
Who’s connected to whom
The groups that spent supporting or opposing the candidates.
- Senate Leadership Fund spent opposing Roy Cooper · $30.0M
- WinSenate spent opposing Michael Whatley · $21.6M
- No Going Back PAC spent opposing Roy Cooper · $8.7M
- Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc. spent supporting Michael Whatley · $2.5M
- Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc. spent opposing Roy Cooper · $1.7M
- No Going Back PAC spent supporting Michael Whatley · $1.0M
- Progress North Carolina Action spent supporting Roy Cooper · $823K
- Planned Parenthood Votes North Carolina spent supporting Roy Cooper · $624K
- LCV Victory Fund spent opposing Michael Whatley · $500K
- Edf Action Votes spent opposing Michael Whatley · $500K
- Senate Leadership Fund spent supporting Michael Whatley · $364K
- Progress North Carolina Action spent opposing Michael Whatley · $143K
- WinSenate spent supporting Roy Cooper · $50,000
- One Nation gave to Senate Leadership Fund · $70.7M
- Chevron Corporation gave to Senate Leadership Fund · $3.9M
- SMP gave to WinSenate · $21.1M
- Koch Inc gave to Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc. · $30.0M
- Stand Together gave to Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc. · $20.0M
- Lillian's List gave to Planned Parenthood Votes North Carolina · $1,000
- League of Conservation Voters gave to LCV Victory Fund · $18.0M
- Green Advocacy Project (CA) gave to LCV Victory Fund · $300K
- Environmental Defense Action Fund gave to Edf Action Votes · $10.7M
- Senate Leadership Fund spent $30.0M opposing Roy Cooper$30.0M
- Senate Leadership Fund spent $364K supporting Michael Whatley$364K
- One Nation gave $70.7M to Senate Leadership Fund$70.7M
- Chevron Corporation gave $3.9M to Senate Leadership Fund$3.9M
Polls
Every poll of this race on one timeline.
The average of 6 polls to 29 Sep 2026 has Roy Cooper at 49.9% and Michael Whatley at 39.9%.
6polls in the average
- polls of this race
- 35
- pollsters
- 17
Roy CooperMichael Whatley
Also asked · Shannon Bray 7.0% · Michael Dublin 4.0%
Point at a dot, or tab in and use the arrow keys
Every poll, newest first
- 29 Sep ’26Big Data Poll 27 Sep to 29 Sep 2026 · 642 likely voters
- 17 Sep ’26InsiderAdvantage 16 Sep to 17 Sep 2026 · 1,200 likely voters
- 16 Sep ’26High Point University Survey Research Center 9 Sep to 16 Sep 2026 · 706 likely voters
- 15 Sep ’26Harper Polling 13 Sep to 15 Sep 2026 · 608 likely voters
- 3 Sep ’26East Carolina University 31 Aug to 3 Sep 2026 · 675 likely voters
- 31 Aug ’26Elon University/YouGov 21 Aug to 31 Aug 2026 · 565 likely voters
- 12 Aug ’26High Point University Survey Research Center 3 Aug to 12 Aug 2026 · 660 likely voters
- 12 Aug ’26High Point University Survey Research Center 3 Aug to 12 Aug 2026 · 800 registered voters
Go deeper
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The paperwork