Cooper on the road to Washington

The maelstrom of horrors being generated by Donald Trump has been so consuming that it’s blocked out other political news. If the president wasn’t destroying the country, Roy Cooper would have stunned North Carolina with his fundraising hall. Cooper raised $9.5 million in the latest quarter. This sum set records in the state’s history and revealed Cooper’s continued strength in this race. 

Cooper’s report outpaced even his prodigious fundraising history. In 2016, he set off an earthquake in the governor’s race by raising $5.2 million in the second quarter. He hoovered up that haul in the direct aftermath of HB2 and it was thought to signal a significant momentum shift in the race. Running for Senate, Cooper raised almost twice that sum over the holidays a year out from the general election. 

Cooper’s massive fundraising coup shows that donors are “all-in” on his candidacy. The national donor class, which has always favored Cooper, has made an early commitment to his campaign and seems likely to keep the dollars flowing. This is highly significant for our state because it shows that the national Democratic Party believes North Carolina is winnable this year. That faith contrasts with 2022, when the DSCC and other national panjandrums abandoned Cheri Beasley, a strong candidate who might have won given the resources. 

Another encouraging aspect of Cooper’s coup is that it reflects his campaign’s strength at this time. Political scientists have found that campaign contributions often follow candidates who are perceived to be winning, rather than necessarily causing those victories in the first place. The $9.5 million bonanza shows that Cooper has momentum in this race. Running hard and raising copious contributions, Cooper is in a stronger place than any North Carolina Democratic Senate candidate in years. 

On the other end of the money chase, Michael Whatley acquitted himself reasonably well. Whatley raised a very solid amount of money—$5.1 million. This shows that Republican donors at least see him as viable, or at worst are unwilling to say no to such a well connected figure. His fundraising shows that his national network is paying off. But he was still dwarfed by the Cooper machine. 

Cooper’s fundraising is a triumph on the road to Washington. He has a logistical advantage—more resources—and he is in a solid position in the horse race. This race is unlikely to end in a landslide; North Carolina has become deep-purple and the competition is always ferocious. But Roy Cooper is doing what he needs to do to become the rare Tar Heel Democrat who makes it to the Senate.