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Election 2026: Stumps heavy with economy, crime in U.S. Senate race
The candidates are pressing voters on rising prices, electric bills and public safety as Republicans seek to protect a narrow Senate majority.
Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley are competing for a pivotal Senate seat in the Old North State, with campaigns focusing on economic policy and crime.
Inflation remains the top issue for North Carolinians, while Cooper takes aim at rising energy costs, specifically the more than 17% hike for Duke Energy Progress customers.
Critics label Cooper 'soft on crime,' citing his gubernatorial record and a 2021 lawsuit settlement with the NAACP and the ACLU that released prison inmates.
Whatley highlighted the case of DeCarlos Brown, a suspect charged in the murder of Iryna Zarutska, to attack Cooper's stance on public safety and community protection.
Nine key battlegrounds remain for the 35 Senate seats in play, with the North Carolina contest viewed nationally as pivotal to the winning majority.