Republican chaining himself to Trump's unpopular war in pivotal swing state race

President Donald Trump needs to retain the North Carolina Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis — but according to a prominent local columnist, Trump’s Iran war stance is getting in the way of that goal.

“Recent polling suggests that slim majorities of North Carolina voters oppose military involvement in Iran, while even larger majorities oppose putting troops on the ground in Iran,” wrote Deputy Opinion Editor Paige Masten for The Charlotte Observer on Thursday.

Yet despite the unpopularity of Trump’s Iran war positions in North Carolina, Masten wrote that the Republican Senate candidate in that state, Michael Whatley, has staunchly backed it, even describing North Carolina as “the tip of the spear” in the conflict against Iran. He even added that Americans are “absolutely with” Trump and “most of North Carolina” supports Trump’s Iran war.

“We support this mission, and we need to make sure we see it through,” Whatley said in one speech quoted by Masten.

But the journalist said Trump is not only hurting Whatley on the topic of the war.

“Support for the conflict could also hurt Whatley on another issue that has been a thorn in the side of Republicans: the economy,” Masten wrote. “Gas prices have skyrocketed, and gas prices are Americans’ top concern in the war, polls show. Our involvement in Iran could benefit Whatley, however — a recent column in The Fayetteville Observer pointed out that Whatley’s investment portfolio, a large chunk of which is invested in oil and gas stocks, has seen a windfall since the launch of Operation Epic Fury in Iran.”

After reviewing how much better Whatley’s Democratic opponent, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, is positioned to address issues like Iran, gas prices and affordability, Masten concluded that Trump’s recent Iran ceasefire may not be enough to solve Whatley’s political troubles.

“It’s unclear what will happen when it ends, which could keep Whatley in an uncomfortable position of defending and campaigning on an issue that voters don’t support,” Masten wrote. “It’s a position Whatley is probably used to by now, but if he hopes to close in on Cooper’s comfortable lead, he ought to readjust.”

A poll by Healthier United in March found that Cooper is beating Whatley in current polls by a margin of 50 percent to 32 percent. Meanwhile Whatley also faced controversy because of his past support for Mark Robinson, the former Lieutenant Governor who won the 2024 Republican gubernatorial nomination despite a record of racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic remarks.

“His support for Robinson was steadfast even as Robinson said vile things about women, attacked victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and said, ‘We are called to be led by men, not women,’” state Rep. Phil Rubin (D-Wake) said in August about Whatley’s support for Robinson. “This election is a clear choice between results and resentment, between competence and culture wars.”

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