Trump sticks with Whatley in North Carolina as top Republican spenders pivot

President Donald Trump is traveling to North Carolina on Tuesday to rally for Senate nominee Michael Whatley, even as the party's leading Senate super PAC retreats from the contest. The stop is one of seven states on a week-long midterm push, and early voting has begun. MS NOW/Fifty Plus One polling puts Whatley ten points behind Roy Cooper, the state's onetime governor. According to AdImpact, the Senate Leadership Fund pulled $13. 2 million in advertising on Oct. 2, with further reductions bringing the total to $14. 6 million, while a seven-figure Republican purchase went to Kansas. That same day Trump told reporters he was "worried" about Whatley.

Two people familiar with the president's strategy told MS NOW that his team still sees an opening, mainly by drawing out low-propensity voters, but also wants to limit the damage of a defeat. One White House official said backing a hand-picked candidate in a swing state matters for reputation. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle called Trump the party's best messenger. The president faces headwinds: a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey found 33 percent of American adults approve of him and 28 percent approve of his handling of the economy.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →