Michael Whatley
Candidate for North Carolina U.S. Senate · Republican
On the 2026 ballotCandidate · North Carolina U.S. Senate · Nov 3 General
Ballot status source: NC State Board of Elections — 2026 general-election candidate list: US SENATE · read Sep 20, 2026
Running for North Carolina U.S. Senate, Class 2, Nov 3 General. The race page has 3 other candidates, 4 public polls, 3 certified results. See the race
Key Votes
The record
No public voting record
Michael Whatley has not held elected public office; his prior roles (Republican National Committee chair, N.C. Republican Party chair) are party positions with no public roll-call votes. Checked 2026-09-24 against Bioguide and the N.C. General Assembly member lists.
Sep 24, 2026 · Official · NC State Board of Elections · source
Newest first. A close vote was decided by 5% of the votes cast or less (or 10 votes or fewer, under a fifth of the votes). Broke with party: voted against most of their party, where the record gives the party split.
Their Money
Campaign finance
- Last Change
- Profile updated · Sep 24
- Raised
- $11,270,971cycle to date through Jun 30
- Cash on Hand
- $3,461,698cycle to date through Jun 30
- Spent
- $7,809,272cycle to date through Jun 30
- Debts Owed
- $46,928cycle to date through Jun 30
- Next Report Due
- Q3 Report · Oct 15
View on FEC.govFEC, cycle to date through Jun 30, 2026
Top Payees
Who the campaign paid most, as its filing reports it.
- STRATEGIC MEDIA SERVICES · placed media$2.49M
- RED BEACON STRATEGIES, LLC · direct mail services$1.11M
- BIG DOG STRATEGIES LLC · direct mail printing and postage$873.6K
- CONVERGENCE MEDIA LLC · digital consulting$577.6K
- FABRIZIO LEE & ASSOCIATES LLC · polling expense$349.2K
Campaign finance · WHATLEY FOR SENATE: July Quarterly 2026, through Jun 30, 2026
Jun 30, 2026 · Official · Federal Election CommissionFinance Reports
Campaign finance · WHATLEY FOR SENATE: July Quarterly 2026, through Jun 30, 2026
Raised $11,270,970.54 this cycle · spent $7,809,272.48 · cash on hand $3,461,698.06 · debts owed by the committee $46,927.61 — through Jun 30, 2026. Where the money came from (cycle to date, as reported): Individuals $5,463,947.81 (48%); PACs and other political committees $874,330.00 (8%); Party committees $62,000.00 (1%); Transfers from authorized committees $4,621,452.36 (41%). Where it went (itemized operating expenditures this cycle, FEC-processed through Sep 20, 2026): other $2.56M; media/ad buying $1.21M; direct mail $1.11M; digital $679.9K; polling $466.7K; individuals (staff, contractors, reimbursements) $418.6K.
Jun 30, 2026 · Official · Federal Election Commission
Filings
- Q2 ReportFEC · through Jun 30, 2026View the Filing
- Year-End ReportFEC · through Dec 31, 2025View the Filing
- Miscellaneous FilingFEC · 2026View the Filing
Money shows as the filings named here report it. Payees are who the campaign paid; individual contributors are not shown.
Advertising
Who is advertising for and against Michael
Advertising summary · for and against (2026 cycle)
For: own campaign $1,080,100 on Google; outside Google ads $462,000–$544,000; Snap $0; broadcast TV pending; FEC independent expenditures $1,597,066. Against: outside Google ads $2,194,100–$2,568,900; opponent campaign ads $0–$0; Snap $99,000; broadcast TV pending; FEC independent expenditures $11,655,667. 2026 cycle. Broadcast TV: not yet searched — not yet counted. Meta not included.
Sep 29, 2026 · Official · Ads summary (2026 cycle)Snapchat ads · WinSenate (opposing)
WinSenate — opposing this candidate (evidence: schedule e). 7 ads since Nov 2024; spend on these ads $99,000–$99,000 (Snap disclosed USD (exact)); 0 of them also linked to other candidates.
Sep 29, 2026 · Official · Snap Political Ads Library (PoliticalAds.zip 2025–2026) · sourceGoogle/YouTube ads · WINSENATE (opposing)
WINSENATE — opposing this candidate (evidence: schedule e). 39 ads since Nov 2024; spend on these ads $2,074,100–$2,428,900 (Google creative spend ranges, geo-allocated); 0 of them also linked to other candidates.
Sep 24, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · sourceGoogle/YouTube ads · NO GOING BACK PAC INC. (supporting)
NO GOING BACK PAC INC. — supporting this candidate (evidence: schedule e). 10 ads since Nov 2024; spend on these ads $462,000–$544,000 (Google creative spend ranges, geo-allocated); 10 of them also linked to other candidates.
Sep 23, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · sourceGoogle/YouTube ads · LCV VICTORY FUND (opposing)
LCV VICTORY FUND — opposing this candidate (evidence: schedule e). 2 ads since Nov 2024; spend on these ads $120,000–$140,000 (Google creative spend ranges, geo-allocated); 0 of them also linked to other candidates.
Sep 23, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · sourceGoogle/YouTube ads · WHATLEY FOR SENATE (supporting)
The candidate's own campaign (WHATLEY FOR SENATE). 49 ads since Nov 2024; Google-reported $1,080,100 since Nov 6 2024 (exact, advertiser-wide).
Jul 28, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · source
Independent Expenditures
FEC independent expenditures on file: $1,674,879 supporting, $12,047,162 opposing, across 78 reports.
WinSenateOpposing · $10,105,946
23 reports, newest Oct 8, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
NO GOING BACK PAC INC.Supporting · $1,016,293
5 reports, newest Oct 5, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc. (AFP Action) DBA CVA Action and DBA LIBRE ActionSupporting · $611,040
8 reports, newest Aug 17, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
LCV Victory FundOpposing · $500,460
9 reports, newest Oct 7, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
EDF Action VotesOpposing · $500,390
2 reports, newest Sep 17, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
NRDC Action VotesOpposing · $500,000
1 report, newest Sep 18, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
PROGRESS NORTH CAROLINA ACTIONOpposing · $429,720
6 reports, newest Oct 12, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. Political Action Committee (ABC PAC)Supporting · $45,550
1 report, newest Sep 17, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Neighbor VoicesOpposing · $10,646
19 reports, newest Sep 10, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
NRA VICTORY FUND, INC.Supporting · $1,991
3 reports, newest Oct 5, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
SENATE CONSERVATIVES FUNDSupporting · $5
1 report, newest Aug 4, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Spend as each platform or filing reports it. Each line is a separate measure, and they are not added together.
In Their Words
What they have said, on the record
“When it comes to our economy, and we talk about affordability, we talk about high prices, we talk about the ditch that Roy Cooper and Joe Biden put America in with the economy”
“Let's talk about what Republicans have accomplished for working families”
“Elections have consequences. And I think in this election there is no area where you will see bigger consequences than what is going to happen in terms of illegal immigration.”
“President Trump ran on securing our borders … and it's tremendously important for us to reflect on that and look at where we are today versus where we are during Joe Biden's tenure”
“I don't think we need to reimagine law enforcement. I think we need to enforce the law. … I am going to be there to back the blue. I am going to support our troopers. I'm going to support our law enforcement communities all across the state.”
In the News
Press coverage
- Trump, Whatley double down on administration's record in North Carolina Senate contestSep 17, 2026 · Press · WBTV
- Michael Whatley seeks to boost US Senate campaign with speech at RNC eventSep 9, 2026 · Press · WRAL News
- Whatley, Cooper spar over immigration policyAug 28, 2026 · Press · WRAL News
- Cooper, Whatley make their pitches on affordability and public safetyAug 14, 2026 · Press · WRAL News
Headlines link to the original reporting, captured on the date shown.
The Paper Trail
Filings, results and exhibits
On the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot for U.S. Senate (North Carolina) · Republican
Name on ballot as certified: “Michael Whatley” (filed as WHATLEY, MICHAEL DAVID). Party: Republican. Won the March 3, 2026 Republican primary: 405,140 votes (64.57%), official results.
Sep 24, 2026 · Official · NC State Board of Elections · sourceU.S. Senator · NC-SEN
Republican · Candidate · On the 2026 ballot
Sep 4, 2026 · Official · NC State Board of Elections
Not on file for Michael yet: Reach Them. Coverage varies by state and office.
File read Sep 25, 2026. Each item names its source. Record ID p_fmk0040tt.
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