Nick Morris said about Michael Whatley, in Elections Daily on October 30, 2026.
Assessing the North Carolina Senate race between Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley.
Michael Whatley
Things People Say About Michael Whatley
Michael Whatley chaired the Republican National Committee from 2024 to 2025. He was the Republican nominee for the open U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina in 2026, with endorsements from Donald Trump and JD Vance.
What People Say About Them
Karen Travers said about Michael Whatley, in Start Here on October 21, 2026.
ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers explained to host Brad Mielke why President Trump was still campaigning in North Carolina after outside Republican groups stopped spending there. From Start Here, October 21, 2026.
Start Here
Around 07:57 into the episode
Karen Travers
…in terms of its, you know, robust strength, then you want to get that enthusiasm high so they turn out. The worst thing that can happen for the president right now in Republicans is Republicans just stay home because they don't really feel great about what the president is doing right now. Well,
Brad Mielke
…You know, a couple weeks ago, GOP donors effectively threw up their hands and said, like, we're not spending any more money on this race. So is there a disconnect between what President Trump sees as possible and what Republican donors see as possible right now? What's the money telling us?
Karen Travers
Yeah, the outside money was paused on behalf of that race. You know, they pulled it out in terms of ad spending in North Carolina in early October. The president himself has said that he is worried about that race. He's worried about Michael Watley, the Republican candidate, but thinks that he'd be a great senator. The
Speaker 1
voters of North Carolina need to decide which candidate is going to fight for them.
Karen Travers
I was in North Carolina with the president a couple weeks ago for a rally for Watley, and it was not a very big crowd compared to some of the other events the president has done out on the trail. That is an important race for Republicans because it is an open seat. Tom Tillis is the retiring…
Brad Mielke
Right. I mean, the fact that you're throwing money into Texas, not just into a Senate race, but now into a governor's race that at one point looked safe and even to house races in gerrymander districts that you gerrymandered so that they'd be safe Republican seats. Even some of those, according to…
Speaker names come from our own diarization. The position is estimated from where the line sits in the episode.
Heather Cox Richardson said about Michael Whatley, in Heather Cox Richardson on October 20, 2026.
Describing weak Republican Senate candidates in the 2026 midterms.
Buck Sexton said about Michael Whatley, in The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show on October 17, 2026.
Conservative radio host Buck Sexton gave his assessment of the North Carolina Senate race after a caller said Republicans had pulled back from it. From The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Around 30:32 into the episode
Speaker 4
I think they've given up on him, and I think it's a shame. But I also think that the silver lining is that Roy Cooper is not going to be that much different than terrible Tom Tillis, so.
Speaker 1
Yeah, that's probably true. Greg, thank you.
Buck Sexton
By the way, Greg, you're tracking with exactly what a lot of our North Carolina emailers and callers and everything have been saying, so I'm not surprised there. Look, I hope Michael Wadley, who's a really good guy, I know Michael a little bit, really nice man and a competent man, I hope he comes on the show, Clay, and tap dances on our prediction and just says, you guys are so silly, I smoked him. But right now it's not looking good. I'm not putting any– I wouldn't put any money on that race. That's what I will say. John in Michigan wants to talk Michigan stuff.
Speaker 1
What's up, John? Hey, guys.
Speaker 4
Yeah, I think I'm on board with Buck H1 in Michigan. I live in Michigan.
Speaker 1
Where? Sorry, where in Michigan?
Speaker names come from our own diarization. The position is estimated from where the line sits in the episode.
Where to Find Them
Michael Whatley writes The Breitbart News Daily Podcast . They have also been a guest on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (2 times) .
Recently: “Daily Review with Clay and Buck - Sep 25 2026” on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (September 2026); “Hour 3 - You Are No Limbaugh, Piker” on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (September 2026); “A Superb History Lesson on Marxism; Guest: 2026 Midterm Candidates Vivek Ramaswamy of Ohio & Michael Whatley of North Carolina” on The Breitbart News Daily Podcast (July 2026); “What is An American?; Guest: Former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley on Running to be a U.S. Senator in North Carolina” on The Breitbart News Daily Podcast (September 2025).
What They Said
Asked by Clay Travis about campaign money, Whatley, Cooper's Republican opponent, argued Cooper's fundraising reflects his ties to national Democrats. From The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, late September 2026.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Around 01:26 into the episode
Michael Whatley
…And so we're just going to keep working out. We've been to all 100 counties. We're having conversations with people in the mountains and on the coast. We're talking to people in the cities. We're talking to people on the farms and everywhere we go. It's a common sense agenda for North Carolina.
Clay Travis
…it feels like have kind of kept the powder dry, so to speak. and not started really spending until post-Labor Day. We certainly are there now. What can you tell us about the plan, the spend? Does the Democrats have more money than you in North Carolina? What's the on-the-ground situation there?
Michael Whatley
Yeah, so Roy Cooper does have a ton of money. It's coming in from all over the country, California, Chicago, New York, you name it. He's bringing it in because Chuck Schumer has recruited him to run in this race because he'll do what exactly Chuck Schumer and the Democrats tell him to do. He's going to be a lockstep vote for the mob. He's going to be there with Schumer. He's going to be there with Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and the rest of them. So they are bringing in tons of money, and we do need to help. MichaelWatley.com is where people can go to sign up and support. We held our powder dry until Labor Day, and we're spending now.
Speaker 4
We need to make sure that we keep that going.
Michael Whatley
What I don't want to do is be left in October without the resources that we need to get us over the hump Because this thing is closing so late.
Clay Travis
We're talking with Michael Whatley, big battleground state in North Carolina. How much do you see? This is another aspect of the debate we've been having. How much are you seeing this be a national race versus a North Carolina specific race? And I ask that question because earlier in the show…
Speaker names come from our own diarization. The position is estimated from where the line sits in the episode.
Whatley was asked about recovery in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene in 2024. He had earlier said he coordinated federal responses at President Trump's request. From The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, late September 2026.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Around 08:09 into the episode
Michael Whatley
…brought $ 11 billion in hurricane relief from the Trump administration to Western North Carolina. Roads have been rebuilt. Bridges have been rebuilt. Water systems are up and running. Lake Lure and Chimney Rock are back open for business, which is a miracle if you ever saw any of the pictures.
Speaker 4
Of the damage that we had there.
Michael Whatley
Look, there's a lot of work that's left to be done, and I'm not going to forget them. I know President Trump is not going to forget them. But this is the largest storm recovery effort in the history of North Carolina by an order of magnitude versus what has been done before. So we're going to continue to fight the people of North Carolina, Western North Carolina.
Speaker 4
They're strong people. These are resilient communities.
Michael Whatley
And they know that Roy Cooper was absolutely not there when they needed him and that I've been there every day since President Trump asked me to help.
Speaker 1
When does early voting start?
Speaker names come from our own diarization. The position is estimated from where the line sits in the episode.
Asked by Clay Travis what listeners should know about North Carolina, Whatley laid out how he sees the state's electorate and his campaign platform. The interview aired on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show in late September 2026.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Around 00:29 into the episode
Speaker 1
Welcome back in, Clay and Buck.
Clay Travis
…there. So we appreciate the time. I know it is super busy as we come up on under 40 days until the election. I'm sure you can tell us exactly when the early voting will begin in North Carolina. What should we know, Chairman Whatley? What can this audience do to help you win this important race?
Michael Whatley
Yeah, two things that you should really focus on when it comes to North Carolina. You know, the first is we are a purple state. We're 30 percent Republican. We're 30 percent Democrat. We're 40 percent unaffiliated, which is our version of the independents. And every race is going to be close. And ultimately, although we are a purple state, we are a state that hates crazies. And so, you know, for us to get our agenda out there and talk about the common sense platform that I'm running on, a strong economy, strong borders and a safe community and strong Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines presence that we have in the state. We're getting that out there, and Roy Cooper is absolutely crazy. This is a guy who wants open borders, inflationary spending, a woke, weak America. He raised taxes as a legislator, vetoed tax cuts as a governor. This is a guy who let criminals out of jail by the thousands and who supports a radical transgender ideology.
Speaker 4
He's completely out.
Michael Whatley
Of step with mainstream North Carolina. So that's the first thing we got to do is just make sure everybody understands what's at stake. And the second thing is Republicans close in North Carolina. We are closing right now in this race. We've knocked Roy Cooper's lead down from 12 points a couple of…
Clay Travis
How's your money situation? What can people do to help? A lot of talk. I started off the show today that a lot of Republican candidates nationwide, it feels like have kind of kept the powder dry, so to speak. and not started really spending until post-Labor Day. We certainly are there now. What can…
Speaker names come from our own diarization. The position is estimated from where the line sits in the episode.
Whatley described the state of the North Carolina Senate race to Clay Travis on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show in late September 2026, roughly 40 days before the election. The figures are his own characterization of the polling.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Around 00:58 into the episode
Michael Whatley
…there, and Roy Cooper is absolutely crazy. This is a guy who wants open borders, inflationary spending, a woke, weak America. He raised taxes as a legislator, vetoed tax cuts as a governor. This is a guy who let criminals out of jail by the thousands and who supports a radical transgender ideology.
Speaker 4
He's completely out.
Michael Whatley
Of step with mainstream North Carolina. So that's the first thing we got to do is just make sure everybody understands what's at stake. And the second thing is Republicans close in North Carolina. We are closing right now in this race. We've knocked Roy Cooper's lead down from 12 points a couple of months ago to four points right now. We are in the chute, as I like to say. We always close late here in North Carolina. We are right where Ted Budd was back in 22. We're actually better than Tom Tillis was in 2020. And so we're just going to keep working out. We've been to all 100 counties. We're having conversations with people in the mountains and on the coast. We're talking to people in the cities. We're talking to people on the farms and everywhere we go. It's a common sense agenda for North Carolina.
Clay Travis
How's your money situation? What can people do to help? A lot of talk. I started off the show today that a lot of Republican candidates nationwide, it feels like have kind of kept the powder dry, so to speak. and not started really spending until post-Labor Day. We certainly are there now. What can…
Michael Whatley
Yeah, so Roy Cooper does have a ton of money. It's coming in from all over the country, California, Chicago, New York, you name it. He's bringing it in because Chuck Schumer has recruited him to run in this race because he'll do what exactly Chuck Schumer and the Democrats tell him to do. He's…
Speaker 4
We need to make sure that we keep that going.
Speaker names come from our own diarization. The position is estimated from where the line sits in the episode.
Whatley, the Republican nominee for the open North Carolina Senate seat, was interviewed by Clay Travis on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show in late September 2026. Travis had asked whether people were treating the race as already decided because of the polls.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Around 05:02 into the episode
Speaker 4
It's not going to work here.
Clay Travis
…there on those guys. Those guys were always consistently behind. Polls have not given enough credit to Republicans in North Carolina. Are you concerned that people are falling into the trap of, oh, North Carolina is It's not even a race right now. I want you to kind of tee off on that if you can.
Michael Whatley
Yeah, look, when I go out to the 100 counties and I have these conversations, whether it's in manufacturing centers or I go to small businesses or I go out to the farms and talk to people about this race, we get an absolutely great response. When I go to Raleigh, there's a lot of hand-wringing.
Speaker 4
When I go to Washington, D.C., there's a lot of hand-wringing.
Michael Whatley
And people worry about those polls, and you just point out the fact North Carolina always closes late. And we really are focused right now on the fundamentals, the building blocks of this campaign, of getting out there, building our infrastructure.
Speaker 4
We're knocking on doors. We're making phone calls.
Speaker names come from our own diarization. The position is estimated from where the line sits in the episode.