(*SIGH*) Cooper by ELEVEN

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I am even more convinced that the Raleigh GOP establishment has some kind of non-aggression pact with Roy Cooper.

Cooper is a target-rich environment. But the party’s campaigns against him have ranged from just bad to outlandishly incompetent.  If we’re not careful, the GOPe will allow ol’ Roy to extend his decades-long election winning streak. 

Harper Polling – working with Carolina Journal – has another poll out showing Cooper with 50 percent of the vote to Mike Whatley’s 39 percent.   (600 likely voters, MOE 4 percent)

This extends a losing streak for Whatley going back to July 2025. I think there was a tie in one poll back then.

Carolina Journal is sooooo in the tank for the GOPe and NCGOPe.  If they can’t put lipstick on this pig, NOBODY CAN.  You know you’re in real trouble.   Remember – Mark Robinson lost to Josh Stein by fourteen.  Here in May, Whatley is down by eleven.  

Political pros often tell you the real fight doesn’t start until after Labor Day. That gives Whatley and the GOP most of September, all of October, and a wee bit of November to try and dig out of this hole.

Some may say it’s too early to get worried.  I say Whatley has one hell of a hole to climb out of.  Cooper would have to have a NudeAfrica-scale mega-scandal. He’s been around a long time.  No one has found it yet.

I swear this feels like watching my favorite team throw a game.  You know we can do better — with both personnel and strategy. Off the top of my head, I can name at least three candidates who are more conservative and could do better against Cooper than Whatley.  But – here – we – are.