President Donald Trump campaigned in Gastonia, North Carolina, on Wednesday alongside handpicked Senate nominee Michael Whatley, framing the pivotal midterm race as a stark choice on crime and border security while attacking Democratic candidate and former Governor Roy Cooper.
The political stakes in North Carolina extend far beyond state lines. As Republicans fight to retain their Senate majority during the back half of the presidential term, the seat vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has become a primary battleground in the November elections. Trump’s rally marked his third trip to the state since December in support of Whatley, underscoring how heavily national party leaders are banking on the former Republican National Committee chairman to hold the line.
Trump and Whatley Target Cooper’s Record on Crime and Safety
From the tarmac to the stage inside a packed airport hangar in Gastonia, Trump leaned into aggressive law-and-order messaging. He used visual aids, including an oversize video screen displaying mug shots of unnamed criminal suspects, to draw visceral contrasts with Cooper. The attacks focused heavily on public safety and high-profile criminal cases in the state.
“You can either vote for Roy Cooper to set loose criminals who rape and murder your children and your population, or you can vote for Michael Whatley to protect and defend your children and your population.”
Donald Trump, President of the United States
Both Trump and Whatley repeated claims about Cooper’s record that critics and fact-checkers have challenged. During the speeches, Trump invoked the 2025 stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman killed on a Charlotte commuter train, falsely suggesting that Cooper was responsible for releasing the suspect. Cooper’s campaign fired back immediately against the rhetoric.
Polling Pressures and the Fundraising Gap Facing Whatley
Despite the high-profile backing from the White House, Whatley faces significant headwinds in his first bid for public office. While Cooper boasts strong statewide name recognition earned over four terms as attorney general and two terms as governor, Whatley has trailed both in public opinion polls and in campaign coffers.
A recent Elon University poll showed Cooper leading Whatley by 11 percentage points among likely voters, while an East Carolina University poll pegged Cooper’s lead at eight points. Financial disclosures underscore the disparity: Cooper’s campaign had nearly $21 million to spend as of June 30, compared to just $3.5 million for Whatley’s campaign.
To bridge that gap, Whatley is leaning heavily on national conservative donors and allied political action committees.
Economic Realities and the Shadow of Hurricane Helene Relief
Beyond crime, the race has zeroed in on economic anxiety and disaster recovery. Trump addressed voter concerns over rising fuel costs, which have spiked following a military strike on Iran. While acknowledging that prices are higher, Trump defended the escalation as a very inexpensive price to pay to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The rally also brought fresh friction over federal disaster aid. Trump criticized Cooper’s handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which battered the state in 2024, prompting pushback regarding the slow trickle of federal relief funds over the past two years. During his remarks, Trump suggested he would withhold additional funding unless Whatley wins, before clarifying that he was joking.
That remark drew sharp condemnation from North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, who posted on social media demanding that Washington fulfill the state’s funding requests.
“Western North Carolinians have been working their tails off for the past two years to recover from Helene. It’s time for Washington to match their grit and fund our $10 billion request.”
Josh Stein, Governor of North Carolina
The Independent Vote and the Midterm Math
Republican strategist Paul Shumaker noted that while Trump’s presence is essential for energizing the conservative base—many of whom skip midterm elections when Trump is not personally heading the ballot—the path to victory requires appealing to a massive block of unaffiliated voters. Registered Democrats and Republicans in North Carolina are split fairly evenly, but independent voters outnumber both groups with more than 3.5 million registered.
Those moderate and independent voters remain intensely focused on inflation and the broader economy—areas where polling suggests the administration faces vulnerability compared to past cycles. Recognizing the high stakes, Trump urged supporters in Gastonia to treat the contest as a referendum on his own leadership.
“In this election, I’m asking you to pretend I’m on the ballot just one more time.”
Donald Trump, President of the United States
