2 new polls offer different views of North Carolina’s Senate race. What they say | Opinion
Deputy Opinion Editor Paige Masten is covering the 2026 election for The Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News & Observer.
Two polls conducted this month offer new insights into how North Carolina voters are feeling about Donald Trump’s presidency, as well as the state’s high profile U.S. Senate race. It’s the first batch of polls released so far this year, and they’re pretty different from one another.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways:
TIPP Insights poll
The first poll, conducted by TIPP Insights for the League of American Workers, shows former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper with a massive lead over Republican candidate Michael Whatley. Cooper has 48% support compared to Whatley’s 24%, with 27% still undecided. While polls have consistently shown Cooper ahead, that’s by far Cooper’s largest lead out of any poll in this race so far.
Polls should always be taken with a grain of salt, especially since we’re still more than nine months out from Election Day. But Cooper’s lead in this poll is a significant outlier, and more than a quarter of those surveyed said they’re still undecided, which should invite even more skepticism. While this election is Democrats’ best chance in years at flipping one of North Carolina’s Senate seats blue, most experts still classify this race as a toss-up. What’s interesting, though, is that TIPP is generally viewed as a reliable pollster, and the League of American Workers is a right-wing group.
The poll also asked voters their opinion on President Donald Trump and his job performance. Trump’s approval rating is about 39%, the poll found, which is consistent with findings from other recent polls. But just 35% approve of his handling of the economy, 30% approve of how he’s handling inflation and 23% approve of his handling of Epstein-related issues. Trump earned the highest marks for immigration enforcement and border control, which had 44% and 50% approval, respectively.
Carolina Forward poll
Carolina Forward, a progressive-leaning policy organization, also released its own January poll. That poll shows Cooper with a 5-point lead, 47% to 42%, with 11% undecided. That’s far more consistent with other polls conducted in this race so far, and feels a lot more realistic for a statewide election in North Carolina. Notably, the poll shows Cooper with a significant and growing advantage among independent voters. Just 19% of independent voters favor Whatley, while 48% favor Cooper and 33% remain unsure.
Most polling in the Senate race has focused on the general election. This poll also takes a look at the Republican primary, where Whatley faces some competition. Neither Don Brown nor Michele Morrow has double-digit support, but what is interesting is that 54% of voters say they’re still undecided, with just six weeks to go until Election Day.
In other races, Carolina Forward’s poll shows North Carolinians are much more closely divided. The race for North Carolina Supreme Court is virtually tied, the generic ballot for the North Carolina General Assembly is also tied and the generic ballot for the U.S. House of Representatives is almost evenly split as well.
This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
