Whatley, Cooper clash on presence, priorities in NC Senate race

Same-day appearances highlight divide over disaster response, rural outreach and leadership style in North Carolina contest.

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By Annie Dance | Lake Lure News | Cops & Congress | News & Commentary

Top left: Rutherford County Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg and Michael Whatley at Tryon International, top right: Americans for Prosperity event at Tryon International, bottom right: Roy Cooper in Fayetteville with his “Make Stuff Cost Less” campaign, bottom left: The small crowd at Cooper’s event. All photos taken on April 7, 2026, in NC (fair use)

MILL SPRING, N.C. — A single day on the campaign trail — April 7 — offered a clear snapshot of the emerging divide between Republican Michael Whatley and Democrat Roy Cooper in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race.

Let’s put aside the money and even the political parties, for a moment, and focus on the facts.

That same day, Markwayne Mullin, newly appointed as Homeland Security secretary, was in western North Caro…