Latest ‘scandal’ in NC’s Senate race worsens Whatley’s authenticity problem | Opinion
U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley’s campaign had another “scandal” on its hands last week after a NBC News report revealed that Whatley’s roots in North Carolina are not as deep as they’re often portrayed.
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Now, many people might be wondering, “Who cares?” And to some extent, they’re right. Whether Whatley moved to North Carolina at age 4 or 14 has no real bearing on his ability to be an effective senator. But much like with the Carolina Hurricanes blunder, it’s the inauthenticity that matters.
Whatley’s authenticity struggles may not be as significant as, say, his fealty to Donald Trump, but they are not inconsequential. This is not a candidate or a campaign that can withstand that kind of scrutiny, especially when it amplifies concerns people already have. At the moment, there simply isn’t enough momentum to absorb any setbacks. Of course, Republicans argue that it’s unfair to hold Whatley to a different level of scrutiny than Roy Cooper, whose image and personality are often revered, not questioned.
But Michael Whatley is not Roy Cooper, and that’s the whole problem.
Whatley is not a former two-term governor, and he does not have six statewide victories under his belt. For Cooper, the advantage is not necessarily that he is more experienced at the game of politics than Whatley. Whatley has spent enough time in and around political campaigns to know what he’s doing — that is, in part, why he was chosen. The advantage is that Cooper is one of the most well-known and well-liked politicians in the state, and because of that, voters are more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He is not a perfect candidate, and he does not have a perfect record, but no one doubts who he is. On the other hand, Whatley faces an uphill battle with name recognition, and these kinds of stories don’t make a good first impression.
Voters don’t actually care what soda Roy Cooper drinks, and while it’s great that he loves the Hurricanes so much, it wouldn’t hurt him if he didn’t. But those things are endearing to voters because they’re real (or at the very least, they feel that way). Cooper talks about Diet Sun Drop and hockey like he’s just a guy who really likes those things, and voters find that relatable, even if they don’t share the same passions.
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Whatley’s campaign almost seems to think that he can neutralize some of Cooper’s advantages by projecting a guy-next-door image of his own. But that’s not going to work if it feels manufactured. Whatley is not a lifelong North Carolinian, and he’s obviously not a huge Caniac. That’s fine, but if he’s not those things, then who is he? Surely, he has a personality and interests of his own. Does he watch any sports? Does he have any hobbies? What’s his favorite food? These are not trick questions, and they don’t have a right answer. But he needs to start showing voters who he really is, not just who he thinks they want him to be. Likability is an asset, but authenticity matters more.
Unfortunately for Whatley, he is running out of time to define himself. Nearly a year after Whatley declared his candidacy, a third of the electorate still has no idea who he is, polls show. That’s given Cooper and Democrats the chance to make the introduction, and their portrayal of Whatley isn’t a good one.
The truth is that Republicans made a tactical error by choosing a candidate who has zero familiarity, trust and goodwill with voters to run against a former governor who has spent decades amassing it. Whatley could have the greatest policy proposals in the world, and none of it would matter if voters don’t know or trust him enough to believe in his vision. It was never going to be easy to overcome that.
Deputy Opinion Editor Paige Masten covers politics and the 2026 elections for The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer.
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