By Nia Cooper
The North Carolina Senate race is well underway, and Democrat Roy Cooper is ahead in poll results.
With midterm elections happening on Nov. 5 this year, many outlets are reporting on what voters are thinking. Even though most of the student population at Raleigh Charter can not vote, it is still important to stay up to date on what is going on in our state.
The Democratic candidate is Roy Cooper, former governor of North Carolina. Cooper has earned the support of many voters by advocating for better education, reproductive rights, and getting money back into the pockets of North Carolinians. Michael Whatley is the Republican candidate; he is currently behind in the polls by 14 points. Whatley earned the endorsement of President Trump as well as Vice President Vance.
Even though students are not able to vote in this midterm election, if they are under 18 years old, there are many who still have opinions. When asked about her thoughts on the election, senior Ross McCallie said, “I think this race is a good demonstration of why so many Americans have become disillusioned with partisan politics. This election has the potential to dramatically change North Carolina’s state politics, and yet campaign ads consistently avoid discussing actual policy in favor of topics they think would appeal to the average person. I believe Roy Cooper is a good fit for Senate: he has leadership experience, he consistently defends civil rights and abortion access, and most importantly, he’s anti-MAGA.”
The teachers at our school also have thoughts on this midterm election, including GOPO teacher Mrs. Newmark. Her 10th grade class has been discussing the midterm elections throughout the beginning of the year, tying in current events to history. “I think Roy Cooper was always going to win. He was a relatively popular governor who didn’t seem overly partisan… Michael Whatley isn’t well known, and he’s closely associated with Trump. Trump is increasingly unpopular, so people are voting against him by voting against GOP candidates.”
“There has been a flood of money into Cooper’s campaign since the Democrats see it as their best pick-up opportunity in the Senate. I’ve been seeing Cooper’s ads since the spring, and Whotley doesn’t have much money, so I don’t see many of his ads…there are a lot of reasons that the Democrats have an advantage this year,” Newmark said. “Running a moderate, well-liked former governor in a state that is basically 50/50 is a great advantage. The states where Democrats might have trouble are when they choose more radical candidates in their primaries.”
These midterm elections are a crucial point of contention for Democratic candidates, as they could become the majority of the Senate. If you are interested in learning more about the Senate race, sources like WRAL and Associated Press have lots of useful information. It is important to stay up to date on current events, especially when they’re taking place in your own state.
