October 20–23, 2026

North Carolina

Cooper leads Whatley for Senate

Poll of 3,292 likely voters in North Carolina · Released October 25, 2026 · Sponsored by A Fight Worth Having (super PAC, FEC C00933085); conducted by RedBox Research, AFWH's polling unit

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Races

U.S. Senate

Cooper +6.3

Roy Cooper
(D)

49.8^%

Michael Whatley
(R)

43.5^%

Leads, within the margin of error.

All candidates

U.S. Senate

Roy Cooper (D)49.8%

Michael Whatley (R)43.5%

Undecided3.0%

Prefer not to answer1.7%

Shannon W. Bray (L)1.1%

Someone else0.5%

Michael Dublin (G)0.5%

Did not vote in this race0.0%

Early voters were asked how they voted. Shares may not add to 100 because of rounding. A dash means the release doesn't report that answer.

Leaders and Congress

Hakeem Jeffries

Job approvalNet −24 · Democrats: Net +44

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way Hakeem Jeffries is handling his job as House Democratic Leader?”

All likely voters

Approve 33.3%Disapprove 57.6%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 68.7%Disapprove 24.8%Not sure

Should he become Speaker?Someone else +30 · Democrats: Jeffries +7

“If Democrats win control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 election, should Hakeem Jeffries become Speaker of the House, or should Democrats choose someone else?”

All likely voters

Jeffries 20.0%Someone else 50.1%Doesn't matter or not sure

Democrats only

Jeffries 41.4%Someone else 34.8%Doesn't matter or not sure

Chuck Schumer

Job approvalNet −35 · Democrats: Net +26

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way Chuck Schumer is handling his job as Senate Democratic Leader?”

All likely voters

Approve 28.9%Disapprove 64.1%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 59.7%Disapprove 33.4%Not sure

Should he become Majority Leader?Someone else +51 · Democrats: Someone else +34

“If Democrats win control of the Senate in the 2026 election, should Chuck Schumer become Majority Leader, or should Democrats choose someone else?”

All likely voters

Schumer 12.2%Someone else 63.5%Doesn't matter or not sure

Democrats only

Schumer 22.5%Someone else 56.2%Doesn't matter or not sure

Donald Trump

Job approvalNet −11 · Democrats: Net −96

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president?”

All likely voters

Approve 44.0%Disapprove 54.8%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 1.7%Disapprove 97.9%Not sure

Democrats in Congress

Job approvalNet −21 · Democrats: Net +60

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job?”

All likely voters

Approve 38.2%Disapprove 58.9%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 78.7%Disapprove 19.0%Not sure

Republicans in Congress

Job approvalNet −17 · Democrats: Net −93

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job?”

All likely voters

Approve 40.1%Disapprove 57.2%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 2.7%Disapprove 96.0%Not sure

All likely voters: 3,292, margin of error ±3.7 points. Democrats only: the 1,157 who call themselves Democrats on the party question, whatever their voter-file registration. A smaller group has a larger margin of error. All our polls

Views of institutions

Health insurance companies

FavorabilityNet −51

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of health insurance companies?”

All likely voters

Favorable 22.1%Unfavorable 73.5%Not familiar or no opinion

Drug companies

FavorabilityNet −60

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of drug companies?”

All likely voters

Favorable 16.8%Unfavorable 77.2%Not familiar or no opinion

Electric utility companies

FavorabilityNet −48

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of electric utility companies?”

All likely voters

Favorable 22.1%Unfavorable 70.0%Not familiar or no opinion

Large companies that own rental homes and apartments

FavorabilityNet −63

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of large companies that own rental homes and apartments?”

All likely voters

Favorable 11.0%Unfavorable 74.0%Not familiar or no opinion

Large banks

FavorabilityNet −38

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of large banks?”

All likely voters

Favorable 24.6%Unfavorable 62.6%Not familiar or no opinion

All likely voters: 3,292, margin of error ±3.7 points. Favorable and unfavorable each add “strongly” and “somewhat.”

North Carolina poll: Cooper leads Whatley for Senate

Roy Cooper leads Michael Whatley for Senate in North Carolina, 49.8% to 43.5%, in our poll of 3,292 likely voters, taken October 20 to 23. That's within the margin of error. The poll's margin of error is ±3.7 points. Undecided and other answers: 6.7%.

Independents favor Cooper, 50.9% to 36.5%. Independents are respondents who did not call themselves a Democrat or a Republican on the party question (they said independent, another party or don't know), whatever their voter-file registration. Women favor Cooper, 53.3% to 41.0%. Men favor Whatley, 47.3% to 45.7%.

50.1% of likely voters want someone other than Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker if Democrats win the House; 20.0% want Jeffries. Among Democrats, 34.8% want someone else. His job approval is underwater: 57.6% disapprove and 33.3% approve.

63.5% of likely voters want someone other than Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader if Democrats win the Senate; 12.2% want Schumer. Among Democrats, 56.2% want someone else. His job approval is underwater: 64.1% disapprove and 28.9% approve.

Results by group

How each group answered every question: gender, age, race, education, party, ideology, 2024 vote, turnout and geography.

Open the crosstabs

Groups of fewer than 50 interviews are not shown; 50 to 99 are marked for caution.

Likely voters: 3,292
Margin of error: ±3.7 points
Field dates: Oct 20–23, 2026
Mode: Text message invitation to a self-administered web survey
Sponsor: A Fight Worth Having

Disclosure. Sponsored by A Fight Worth Having (super PAC, FEC C00933085); conducted by RedBox Research, AFWH's polling unit. Text message invitation to a self-administered web survey. North Carolina statewide likely voters, n = 3,292, margin of error ±3.7 points including the design effect.

Full methodology · How we poll

Photos. Cropped, cut out from their backgrounds and tinted for this page.

Roy Cooper: NetwonsBucket / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source
Michael Whatley: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source
Hakeem Jeffries: Office of Representative Hakeem Jeffries (public domain). Source
Chuck Schumer: U.S. Senate Photographic Studio/Jeff McEvoy (public domain); source: schumer.senate.gov. Source
Donald Trump: Daniel Torok (public domain). Source