Before Saturday’s one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and a GOP Senate candidate, Michael Whatley, in an advertisement are chiding former North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for failing the state.
“Roy Cooper’s botched response effort to Hurricane Helene was a complete disaster that left an estimated $53 billion in damage to businesses, homes, and infrastructure and over 100 people dead,” NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia wrote in a statement Thursday. “North Carolinians deserve a senator they can trust to show up when it counts, but failed Gov. Roy Cooper abandoned North Carolina families time and again when they needed him most.”
Cooper’s ties to former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris stand in stark contrast to Whatley’s close ties to and endorsement from President Donald Trump, making it a key campaign issue for North Carolina voters.
“When North Carolina was devastated by natural disasters, Roy Cooper failed to show up,” the first Whatley digital ad narrator said, attacking Cooper for vetoing hurricane relief as governor, “leaving North Carolina families out to dry.”
“North Carolina families can’t trust Roy Cooper to have their back, but Michael Whatley is helping President Trump, delivering relief for North Carolina families.”
North Carolina, a battleground state, backed Trump with 2,898,423 votes (51.0%) compared to Harris’ 2,715,375 votes (47.8%) in the past presidential election. The prospective high-profile Senate race between Whatley and Cooper could help decide the next Senate majority.
“Whatley is fighting alongside President Trump, slashing red tape and securing millions in critical relief funds,” the ad concluded. “Michael Whatley: The proven fight North Carolina needs.”
The NRSC called out the revisionist history in North Carolina one year after Helene’s impact in the state during the 2024 presidential election’s final weeks.
While Cooper was proud of his Helene response, now blaming “broken Washington” for shortcomings, he was working with that D.C. leadership in the oft-criticized bungled response in his state, even praising the Biden-Harris “massive, unprecedented” response.
Whatley chaired the Republican National Committee during Trump’s victorious 2024 presidential campaign before stepping down to run for the open seat of outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
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