A major Democratic political action committee has withdrawn funding from the North Carolina Senate race in the final weeks of the campaign, while Republican-aligned groups have also reduced their financial commitments to the contest.
Senate Majority PAC, which supports Democratic leadership, announced a $42m investment in the state earlier this year. However, a group linked to the organisation spent $29m before scaling back its funding in mid-October.
Meanwhile, Saving America’s Future, a pro-Donald Trump group led by former White House aide Taylor Budowich, donated $1m to NC First last week, according to campaign finance reports. NC First has been funding television advertisements supporting Republican candidate Michael Whatley.
The contribution, however, is considerably smaller than the amount Republican-leaning groups have withdrawn from the state.
The reduction in national financial support has added to Whatley’s campaign funding challenges as he trails Democratic candidate Roy Cooper in fundraising.
Whatley’s campaign has raised $13m, compared with the $47m secured by Cooper’s campaign.
Public opinion polls conducted over the past two months have placed Cooper ahead by margins ranging from six to 14 percentage points. The race is taking place in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the US Senate since 2008.
Despite Cooper’s polling advantage, the contest remains significant given North Carolina’s history of closely fought Senate elections. The average winning margin in the state’s last four Senate races was less than three percentage points.
Cooper’s campaign has sought to temper expectations despite his lead in the polls. Asked by NBC News about the figures, an adviser pointed to a July publication by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic survey research firm, which cautioned that “it would be a mistake to count Republicans out.”
Kate Smart, communications director for Cooper’s campaign, also highlighted the state’s competitive political landscape.
“A Democrat has not won statewide federal office here in nearly two decades, and North Carolina is a 50-50 state,” Smart said.
She added, “We’re working hard to earn every vote and make sure North Carolinians know that Roy Cooper will fight for them, while Michael Whatley will continue to enrich himself at their expense.”
