Cooper, Whatley meet with voters, discuss affordability, public safety
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper and Republican candidate Michael Whatley continued their campaign tours across North Carolina on Friday, outlining their priorities and criticizing one another as the race enters a new phase ahead of the November election.
Former Gov. Cooper continued his "Make Stuff Cost Less Tour," speaking with voters in Vance County.
"I think the legislative branch of government needs to take back its constitutional authority on trade and tariffs," Cooper said. "We're already seeing how that's hitting consumers and small businesses hard. Secondly, we need to restore health care funding for people right now when you can't afford your health care premiums, when you're not covered with health care; that sends the cost of family through the roof."
Cooper emphasized the importance of Medicaid Expansion, which ultimately went into effect with bipartisan support in 2023.
Whatley similarly discussed affordability.
"We need to make sure that we're going to create more jobs and better jobs. People are going to have higher take-home pay. We're going to have lower interest rates. We're going to have lower inflation. We're going to have lower costs, and we're going to have lower taxes," said Whatley.
Cooper has made rising costs a central focus of his campaign. On Friday, he discussed energy prices.
"We need to stand up to the Duke Energy request for rate hikes, particularly when it comes to residential requirements, because people just simply can't afford it," Cooper said. "My opponent, Michael Whatley, has lobbied in Washington, DC for utility companies for years."
Duke Energy is requesting a rate hike, a move which has drawn criticism from elected officials such as Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
The utility company has lowered its initial ask but continues to face pushback.
"What I will push for relentlessly is to have a balanced energy portfolio that is going to have natural gas, unlike the pipeline that Roy Cooper killed. We are also going to have new nuclear that's going to be in there, and we can go ahead and make sure that we have long-term, viable, affordable, reliable electricity," said Whatley, as he referred to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project.
The project, which faced legal challenges, was ultimately canceled by its developers Duke Energy and Dominion Energy in 2020, who cited "ongoing delays and increasing cost uncertainty" in a joint statement.
Whatley, the former Chair of the Republican National Committee, campaigned at a restaurant in Johnston County, where he continued to focus on public safety. Highlighting endorsements from law enforcement groups, Whatley criticized Cooper's approach to addressing crime, including his acceptance of a COVID-era settlement that led to the early release of more than 3,500 inmates.
"Roy Cooper, who set up a task force (for) Racial Equity and Criminal Justice because he wanted to reimagine law enforcement," Whatley said. "Now, frankly, I don't think we need to reimagine law enforcement. I think we need to enforce the law."
Cooper agreed to the settlement with civil rights groups after a Superior Court Judge found it likely the plaintiffs in the case would succeed in court. His campaign said he opposed releasing the prisoners and refused to sign an executive action which would commute their respective sentences. He defended his record in office, including as the state's Attorney General.
"I'm the only one in this race who's actually prosecuted violent criminals and worked to keep them behind bars," Cooper said. "As governor, I signed tougher bail laws for people, tougher gang laws, laws that help protect law enforcement officers. I know that public safety is a priority. I have lived that, and I'm going to continue to work to make sure our communities are safe."
According to polling averages from RealClearPolling, Cooper holds an 8.5-point lead over Whatley. However, statewide races in North Carolina have historically narrowed as Election Day approaches.
Voters attending the events cited a variety of issues influencing their decisions.
"We're losing money to charter schools. We're losing schools. We just closed two schools in Vance County," said Jamel Williams, who is supporting Cooper. "We need to make sure public schools are fully funded."
Marsha Kampfl, who is backing Whatley, said public safety is a top concern.
"We don't like to see people allowed back on the streets who should not be there," Kampfl said. "We have a justice system. That justice system needs to work. And we need a man who will promote that justice system."
In-person early voting begins Oct. 15.
