GOP super PAC pauses spending in North Carolina Senate race, shifting money to Kansas

Key Points:

• The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), a top Republican super PAC, is pausing ad spending in North Carolina's Senate race and shifting resources to Kansas, signaling a strategic move as GOP faces challenges in key battlegrounds.
• SLF has reserved over $8 million in airtime in Kansas, where the race between GOP Sen. Roger Marshall and Democrat Adam Hamilton has tightened, despite the state not electing a Democratic senator since 1932.
• The pause in North Carolina, where SLF had spent over $17 million in September, reflects declining GOP confidence as Democrat Roy Cooper leads in polls and outspends Republican Michael Whatley.
• SLF continues heavy ad spending in other competitive states, including Texas, Ohio, Michigan, and Georgia, focusing on races where Trump won by double digits in 2024.
• Both campaigns in North Carolina maintain that the race remains competitive, with Republicans hopeful late-deciding voters will break their way and Democrats emphasizing a balanced electorate and Cooper’s appeal.