Trump says he’s ‘worried’ about Whatley in North Carolina

President Trump said he was worried about North Carolina GOP Senate nominee Michael Whatley’s election chances as the Senate Republican super PAC began canceling reservations in the state Friday.

“I think he’s a great man, and I am worried about him,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn en route to a campaign rally in Alabama.

“I hope he wins. He was a great leader for the whole Republican Party when I won, and he’d be a great senator,” he continued.

Trump’s comments come after the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC for Senate GOP leadership, canceled $6.5 million ad reservations in North Carolina on Friday.

Polls show Whatley trailing his Democratic opponent, former Gov. Roy Cooper (D).

A Catawba College and YouGov poll released this week showed Cooper with a 10-point lead over Whatley. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as “lean Democrat.”

Trump and Vice President Vance each traveled to North Carolina to campaign with Whatley last month.