CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A new poll shows Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis could face a tight re-election race, if a former governor were to throw his hat in the ring.
The poll, released last week by Public Policy Polling, shows Thom Tillis has a 25% approval rating, and that Roy Cooper holds a four-point advantage if he and Tillis were to compete in a general election.
“Cooper is definitely at the top of Democrats’ list for recruitment and if he does decide to get in the race, I kind of doubt you’re going to see any other serious Democrats run,” said Tom Jensen with Public Policy Polling.
The polling prompted a known Trump strategist to take to X and call for a Republican to primary Tillis. Tillis dismissed the suggestion in an interview with NBC News, calling the strategist a “hack.”
On top of that polling on a hypothetical race between Tillis and Cooper, respondents also gave Tillis just a 25 percent approval rating with 51 percent labeling him as “weak.”
“A lot of folks have made hay about Thom Tillis’ negative approval numbers among the Republicans but the reality is, the last time a U.S. Senate incumbent lost was 2014,” said Western Carolina Professor Chris Cooper.
Cooper agreed Roy Cooper (no relation) would be a clear favorite for Democrats in the state but argued that a poll this far out should not be viewed as a guaranteed prediction of what happens the next election cycle.
“It’s a quality poll. Public Policy Polling does a good job, but I don’t think we should make too much of those at this time,” the professor said. “We don’t even known that Roy Cooper is going to be the Democratic candidate. So what is a poll between those two really mean? I don’t think it means much.”
The same survey also showed junior Sen. Ted Budd having low numbers, with just 26 percent saying they approve of the work he has done so far. Budd though has some time, his re-election won’t be until 2028. Tillis will face a primary challenger next year.
