Why big money is pouring into North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race

WRAL Daily Download

Why big money is pouring into North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race

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Published on Apr 6, 2026, 6:33:06 PM
Total time: 00:09:28

Episode Description

An influential Republican group says it plans to spend at least $71 million to help Michael Whatley’s U.S. Senate campaign in North Carolina — an enormous pledge that comes less than a week after a poll showed Whatley trailing Democratic challenger Roy Cooper by 14 points. WRAL State Government Reporter Will Doran explains why the race to replace U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis is expected to break records for political spending in North Carolina.

More about WRAL Daily Download

The WRAL Daily Download is an in-depth conversation about a single news story. WRAL covers news across North Carolina every day, but this podcast focuses on one story at a time, bringing context to each conversation. The in-depth, localized podcast takes you into the latest stories from Raleigh, Durham, and the entire Triangle region on North Carolina. This is community news aimed at keeping you informed about the more subtle stories that are happening around you. Hosted by WRAL News journalists, episodes post weekdays by 4:30am.