RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — With the primary now only days away, a new Carolina Journal poll shows Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley with a clear advantage over his GOP rivals, but a major chunk of voters undecided.
Harper Poll conducted the survey of 600 GOP primary voters on Feb. 22-23. The poll shows about 38 percent support for Whatley while 50 percent are undecided and most of the rest of the GOP field in the low single digits.
President Donald Trump endorsed Whatley, a co-chair of Republican National Committee, early in the race.
The poll found Don Brown with 7.5 percent. No other candidate attracted more than 2% of the votes of those surveyed. Michele Morrow (1.6%), Thomas Johnson (1%), Margot Dupre (0.6%), Elizabeth Temple (0.6%), and Richard Dansie (0.4%) rounded out the field. Dupre appears on the primary election ballot, though the State Board of Elections disqualified her from the race after a residency challenge.
“Michael Whatley has a clear advantage and is above the level you’d normally want to see to secure a nomination. But when half the electorate remains undecided this late in the game, that’s a flashing yellow light, not a victory lap,” said Donald Bryson, John Locke Foundation CEO and Carolina Journal publisher in a press release. “Late-deciding voters will determine whether this becomes a consolidation story or a surprise.”
President Donald Trump registered 81% job approval among Republican primary voters, with 62% of them registering strong approval. Some 17% of likely GOP primary voters indicated disapproval of the Republican president, with 13% indicating strong disapproval.
Trump endorsed Whatley for the Senate race shortly after two-term incumbent US Sen. Thom Tillis indicated that he would not seek re-election this year. Whatley secured 45% support from voters who approved of the president’s job performance and just 8% support from those expressing disapproval of Trump.
Brown matched Whatley at 8% support of those who disapproved of Trump, while 76% of the voters who disapproved of Trump indicated they were unsure of their vote in the Senate primary.