Top Senate GOP group puts pause on spending in North Carolina

Key Points:

• The Senate Leadership Fund, a leading Republican super PAC, is pausing ad spending in North Carolina’s Senate race where GOP candidate Michael Whatley trails Democrat Roy Cooper, shifting significant resources to Kansas instead.
• The super PAC is launching a seven-figure ad campaign to support GOP incumbent Roger Marshall in Kansas, a state President Trump won by 16 points in 2024, signaling a strategic pivot to more winnable contests.
• Other GOP super PACs have also reduced support for Whatley, with Old North Action cutting ad reservations by a third and Americans for Prosperity Action excluding him from a $22 million ad campaign targeting other Senate races.
• Democrats view the shift as a sign of Republican struggles to defend the Senate majority, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer highlighting the move as indicative of the GOP’s weakening position.
• Some Republicans are reportedly considering scaling back efforts not only in North Carolina but also in Georgia, where GOP Rep. Mike Collins faces a challenging race against Sen. Jon Ossoff despite Trump’s 2024 win in the state.