State, federal
offices
By Lorraine Bennett
Staff Writer
Former N.C. Governor Roy Cooper and former N.C. Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley, survivors of recent primary elections, are preparing a November face-off promising to be decisive in whether the Tarheel State will continue red, blue or purple.
Cooper versus Whatley
Cooper, a Democrat, was the state’s governor from 2017 to 2025. Some of his accomplishments as governor included expanding Medicaid, increasing pay for teachers and managing recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene. Before the governorship he served as the state attorney general for four terms, the longest for any attorney general in the state’s history. His campaign website lists his central campaign issues as affordability, access to health care, public education and creating more jobs.
From his website, Cooper writes, “For too many Americans, the middle class feels like a distant dream. Meanwhile, the biggest corporations and the richest Americans have grabbed unimaginable wealth at your expense. I’m running for Senate because it’s time for that to change.” Cooper won the primary by coming in first in a field of six.
Michael David Whatley was the 66th chairman of the Republican National Committee, serving from March 2024 to August 2025, and former chairman of the N.C. Republican Party from 2019 to 2024. He began his career in public service as a federal law clerk in Charlotte. He served in the George W. Bush Administration at the Department of Energy. He was Chief of Staff for Sen. Elizabeth Dole. Following President Donald Trump’s win in 2016, he led the Presidential Transition’s Energy, Environment and Agriculture teams. His campaign platform focuses on improving economic conditions, creating safer communities and bettering the lives of North Carolina residents. According to his website, he seeks to make North Carolina “a better state where you can buy a home, raise a family and see your kids do better than you did.” Whatley bested six other candidates in the Republican primary.
Edwards versus Ager
U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, seeking his third term from the N.C. 11th Congressional District, won his seat from incumbent Madison Cawthorn in 2022 and was reelected two years later. Edwards filed for office following protests organized by a coalition of social justice advocacy groups called the Asheville Fights Back Network. The protests were called after Edwards voted in favor of the Republican budget bill that included cuts to the SNAP Program and subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. “In Congress, I’ve fought to ensure Washington doesn’t forget our largest natural disaster, rein in reckless spending, grow jobs, cut red tape for small businesses, and protect our way of life,” Edwards said in a press release. “I’ve backed our police, secured historic investment in our local infrastructure, stood firmly for our veterans, and worked to ensure that Washington respects the values we live by here in western North Carolina,” he said. Edwards is being challenged by fourth-generation farmer Democrat Jamie Ager, who told the Asheville Citizen Times he hopes to deliver “working-class roots” to the Democratic Party. He began his campaign last July with a pledge to focus on tackling increasing costs, fighting cuts to healthcare coverage and getting western North Carolina the funding needed to recover from Hurricane Helene. “Farming teaches you to have respect for the land, the animals and people. It’s a beautiful and, at times, brutal life, where if you screw up, there are real, serious consequences,” Ager’s website says. “I’ve always approached farming with honesty, with curiosity and the knowledge that we do our best problem-solving when we work together. That people-first approach has worked well out here on the farm, and in my humble opinion, there’s no reason why Congress can’t work the same way.” Ager won his primary over four other Democrats.
Corbin versus Downing
North Carolina’s 50th District Senator Kevin Corbin, a Republican, assumed office in January 2021. He previously served as a member of the Macon County Board of Commissioners from 2011 to 2016 and served 20 years on the Macon County School Board. Corbin has said the state should lower corporate and individual income taxes, and he supports the expansion of Medicaid. He says citizens should be able to access campaign finance records and he believes voting is a fundamental right. He says teachers in North Carolina deserve competitive pay and he supports increasing state revenues to address this issue. His website says Corbin’s tenure in the Senate has been marked by significant legislative achievements, particularly in broadband expansion, education, and school safety. “His efforts were instrumental in the expansion of Medicaid in North Carolina, extending coverage to 600,000 residents for the first time — an accomplishment that highlights his ability to effect substantial change across party lines,” his website reads.
Democratic challenger Tom Downing promises, “Send me to Raleigh and I’ll work with everyone to find real solutions to our shortages of affordable housing, affordable daycare and the rising costs of health insurance. My plan is to represent everyone in the 50th Senate District.” Downing, a former municipal government worker, says, “It’s time for a new majority in our General Assembly. A Democrat majority who will listen and respond to the needs of real people living in our rural areas. I want to go to Raleigh and work with rural and urban legislators to find practical solutions to our shortages of affordable housing, affordable daycare, and the rising costs of health insurance.” Downing has promised “a campaign of political healing. I will not distribute negative campaign literature against my opponent. I will not participate in anything that divides us further because we are already divided enough.”
Gillespie versus Brown
Republican Karl Gillespie, fifth-generation native of western North Carolina, is hoping to extend his second term in N.C. House District 120 where he has served as House Majority Whip. Gillespie has represented the 120th district, which includes Clay, Cherokee, Graham and Macon counties, since 2021. Previously he served on the Macon County Board of Commissioners for four years. Gillespie says his major concerns include broadband, economic development, education, financial accountability and transparency, preservation of natural resources and quality of life for all residents, agriculture, and affordable healthcare. According to his website, Gillespie says he had a part in the state’s budget that included securing over $45 million for specific projects in the 120th District. “In this budget, we were able to secure over $45 million for specific projects in the 120th N.C. House district. This included several water and sewer projects, a 911 call center, EMS station, courthouse repairs and critical funding for two community colleges,” his website states. Other accomplishments in the state budget included healthcare initiatives, compensation increases for state employees, capital improvements, a cut in personal income tax and annual pay raises for teachers.“All of this was accomplished with a balanced budget and brings our ‘Rainy Day Fund’ (savings) to $4.50 billion, which is the largest in North Carolina’s history,” he writes on his website.
Democrat Caleb Brown, who is challenging Gillespie, is an educator, coach and a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard. Brown’s issues include public education, household finances and healthcare. He says the public school system is the current primary economic driver in House District 120. “I have had the honor to teach, coach and drive a bus for our public schools in rural N.C. and have seen the impact of gutting public education funding. Public tax dollars should not be used to fund private school vouchers. I will fight for greater investment in our public schools. I will work with teachers across the state to update our state standards, focus on practical exercises and project-based learning,” Brown wrote in response to a questionnaire from Ballotpedia. He also said affordable healthcare is at a critical juncture for people in rural North Carolina. He wants bipartisan legislation that widens social and healthcare delivery systems and focuses on expanding and funding Medicaid programs, drug treatment facilities and investments in the future healthcare workforce. Brown says he is extremely passionate about literacy, education and childcare costs. “These are all issues that my family has faced in living in N.C. House District 120. Literacy programs must be expanded. An initiative must be legislated that encourages young people to use the resources around them. Literacy, education and a high quality of life reduce crime, drug addiction and dependency on welfare programs,” he writes. If he is elected, Brown promises to hold one town hall once each month in one of the counties he would represent.
Sources for this article: Wikipedia, Asheville Citizen Times, Smoky Mountain News, Ballotpedia and Candidate Websites.