President Donald Trump is visiting North Carolina on Wednesday to campaign with Republican U.S. Senate nominee Michael Whatley.
It’s a sign the party is concerned about its prospects in the purple state.
Whatley, the former chair of the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party, continues to trail Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper in recent polls and fundraising.
Whatley said on social media that he’s “thrilled” to welcome Trump to his home of Gastonia.
“President Trump needs an ally in the Senate and North Carolina needs a fighter,” Whatley posted. “That’s why we will win on November 3!”
North Carolina’s open Senate seat, soon to be vacated by retiring GOP U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, could be key to majority control of the
upper chamber. Cook Political Report rates the race as “lean Democrat.”
At the moment, Republicans hold 53 seats, while Democrats have 45. Two independent senators caucus with the Democrats.
In addition to the Tar Heel State, Republicans are looking to defend competitive open seats in Iowa and Texas — states that haven’t historically needed much GOP attention — and back their incumbents in Alaska, Maine, and Ohio. They’re also eyeing pick-up opportunities in Michigan, New Hampshire, and Georgia.
North Carolina has some of the country’s most expensive media markets in Charlotte and the Raleigh-Durham area. Both parties may need to spend significantly more than expected, which may leave them needing to triage their resources.
“The Republicans can still hold the majority in the Senate even if they lose North Carolina,” UNC Charlotte political science professor Eric Heberlig told NC Newsline. “That’s part of their calculations as well: Where do they think they have the best chance of mitigating any losses?”
A presidential visit shows the importance of the Senate contest on the national scene, according to Heberlig.
With Trump’s approval rating hovering around 35% in North Carolina, his appearance in Gastonia is unlikely to win Whatley many swing voters. But Heberlig says that’s not the main goal.
The aim, he says, is to mobilize the GOP’s base, especially low-propensity voters who may not be familiar with Whatley and may not turn out to vote in the midterm.
“If you’re the Republican, what you need to do is hold those Republican voters who have voted for President Trump, who have voted for Thom Tillis and Ted Budd. You just need to get them to pull that ‘R’ lever again,” Heberlig told NC Newsline.
Trump’s visit could also help boost GOP turnout in a scandal-ridden western North Carolina congressional district.
GOP U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards abruptly dropped his reelection bid in the state’s 11th Congressional District last month, leaving party leaders scrambling to find a replacement. Earlier this month, the U.S. House voted to censure Edwards for inappropriate conduct.
The NCGOP selected state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom to replace Edwards on the ballot. She’ll face Democrat Jamie Ager, a fourth-generation farmer from a political family, in November. Cook Political Report rates the seat as “lean Republican.”
While Democratic candidates have performed well recently in North Carolina for state-level positions, it isn’t always the same case for federal contests.
The Tar Heel State last elected a Democratic U.S. senator in 2008, when Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win North Carolina in 32 years. No Democratic presidential or senatorial candidates have won North Carolina since.
On the other hand, Cooper is the best-known U.S. Senate candidate Democrats have fielded in decades. He’s won numerous statewide elections as a two-term governor and four-term attorney general. His 16-year tenure in that office was the longest in North Carolina history.
“Having a candidate such as Roy Cooper, who’s won statewide multiple times, helps a lot there because it’s somebody that voters have already voted for, has name recognition, has a positive image, so that gives you a good foundation to build on,” Heberlig said.
Ahead of the rally, North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton said the event indicates the GOP is worried.
The party also gave Whatley the spotlight last week with a speaking slot at its midterm convention in Dallas.
“It just goes to show you right now how scared Republicans are in this state,” Clayton said. “They’re treating every single county like it matters, and so are we in North Carolina.”
Christine Zhu covers state politics and government for NC Newsline. She is based in Raleigh.
NC Newsline is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Trump aims to shore up support for Whatley in NC with Wednesday visit
