Michael Whatley, the Republican Senate candidate in North Carolina, remains firmly aligned with President Donald J. Trump despite growing pressure on Republicans nationwide to distance themselves from the president. Whatley spoke at Trump’s midterm convention, supported the Iran war, and opposed pauses on data center construction—positions that contrast with other GOP candidates in battleground states who are seeking to separate themselves from Trump amid falling popularity and rising prices.

Unlike any other Republican Senate nominee, Whatley has hosted both Trump and Vice President JD Vance at recent rallies, including one at Gastonia Municipal Airport. “I am still with that guy,” Whatley said onstage in Gastonia, near Charlotte. With six weeks until the election, Whatley is betting that loyalty to Trump will mobilize the MAGA base, even as polls show him trailing Democratic opponent Roy Cooper. The race is now considered the most likely to flip in November.

Whatley, handpicked by Trump to chair the Republican National Committee in early 2024, entered politics as a relative unknown, relying on his ties to Trump in a state the president has won three times. He is seeking to replace retiring Senator Thom Tillis, who often clashed with Trump. Whatley’s campaign focuses on crime and public safety, while Cooper emphasizes the cost of living.

Despite Trump’s low approval ratings, Whatley remains backed by the president’s super PAC, though a Republican-aligned group, Old North Action, recently removed $6.5 million in ad reservations. Still, Republicans have outspent Democrats overall in the race, which spans three major media markets and has become one of the most expensive Senate contests in the country.