Trump faces Senate test in Georgia, North Carolina as GOP candidates trail Democrats in poll | Today’s news
Republican Senate candidates in Georgia and North Carolina face a difficult balancing act ahead of November’s midterm elections as they try to stay in line with President Donald Trump while dealing with voter concerns about the cost of living and weakening poll numbers.
According to Bloomberg, North Carolina’s Michael Whatley and Georgia state representative Mike Collins are among the Republican candidates who are finding it difficult to create political distance from Trump. Both candidates have trailed their Democratic opponents in recent polls, with their political identities remaining closely tied to the president.
The call comes less than six weeks before Election Day as some Republicans in competitive Senate races have begun to highlight differences with Trump on issues such as trade, tariffs and the Iran war.
North Carolina Senate
Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, faces former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in an open Senate race.
A YouGov poll released on Wednesday showed Cooper leading Whatley by 11 percentage points among registered voters. The numbers came despite recent appearances by Trump and Vice President JD Vance in North Carolina.
Georgia: Ossoff leads Collins
Georgia presents a similar challenge for Republicans, with Collins running against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.
A YouGov poll showed Ossoff leading Collins 51% to 41%. The poll came as Ossoff increasingly focused his campaign on Trump and the cost-of-living pressures voters face.
Collins is a strong Trump ally and a member of the House Freedom Caucus. He won the Republican nomination after a contentious primary in which Governor Brian Kemp declined to run for the seat due to disagreements with Trump.
The Senate map extends beyond Georgia and North Carolina
The pressure on Whatley and Collins comes as the Senate map widens for Republicans.
Democrats need to pick up four seats to secure a majority. Bloomberg reported that Democratic opportunities widened due to voter concerns about the cost of living, Trump’s approval rating and the war in Iran.
Several Republican candidates sought to differentiate themselves from Trump. Ashley Hinson of Iowa and Mike Rogers of Michigan, for example, called for an end to the Iran war, while Hinson differed with Trump on trade policy.
Republicans in New Hampshire and Maine also criticized Trump’s tariff policy.
Meanwhile, other Republican states, including Ohio, Alaska, Kansas and Texas, are getting more attention as the campaign enters its final weeks.
