Trump Rallies for Whatley in North Carolina

President Donald Trump rallied in Gastonia, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley, urging voters to treat the race as if he were personally on the ballot. Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman making his first run for public office, is challenging former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for the seat Republican Sen. Thom Tillis will vacate through retirement. North Carolina is considered one of Democrats’ best opportunities to gain a Republican-held Senate seat, with polling and fundraising showing Cooper holding a significant advantage. Trump and Whatley attacked inflation, public safety and Cooper’s record as governor, while Whatley has embraced Trump despite the need to appeal to moderates and Republicans dissatisfied with the administration’s handling of economic issues and the Iran war. The rally was Trump’s first campaign appearance since the Republican midterm convention and prompted extensive traffic restrictions in Gaston County. First Lady Melania Trump visited Ashe County on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to discuss community resilience following Hurricane Helene and observe the use of technology, including artificial intelligence, in classrooms; the private visit marked her return to western North Carolina since January 2025.