Eric Heberlig discusses North Carolina Senate race with Carolina Public Press
Carolina Public Press interviewed Eric Heberlig, professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, for the article “Get ready for most expensive Senate race ever.”
The race to replace retiring United States Senator Thom Tillis in North Carolina is predicted to draw more money than any Senate race in history. According to Politico, between $600 million and $800 million could be spent, overtaking the 2022 Georgia Senate runoff race which spent $472 million.
Democrat Roy Cooper, former North Carolina governor, will face the winner of the Republican primary. Michael Whatley, former chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and Republican National Committee, is the Republican favorite after an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
According to the latest Federal Election Commission filings, by the end of September Cooper’s campaign and associated committees had already raised about $14.5 million, while Whatley’s raised $5.8 million. Starting early offers an advantage in the race, Heberlig explained.
“Early spending gives you the ability to define yourself positively and your opponent negatively before people have any other sources of information,” Heberlig said. “If you can do that over long periods of time, that means people get more hardened in the information they have and are less persuadable as we get closer to the election.”