TODAY: Trump heads to Gastonia to campaign for Senate candidate Michael Whatley

GASTONIA, N.C. (WLOS) — President Donald Trump is speaking in south-central North Carolina to rally support for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley.

Trump is speaking at Gastonia Municipal Airport to support Whatley’s campaign on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The event was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Trump appeared around 7:27 p.m.

TRUMP COMING TO NORTH CAROLINA TO CAMPAIGN FOR CANDIDATE MICHAEL WHATLEY

Whatley confirmed the president’s appearance in a social media post last week, in which he stated he is “thrilled to welcome [Trump] to my home of Gastonia.”

Ahead of Wednesday night’s rally, State Senator Woodson Bradley held a protest in Gastonia, accusing Whatley of backing the war with Iran to profit from the high prices through his investments in oil stocks.

[embedded content]

In July 2025, Trump announced his official endorsement of Whatley for North Carolina’s open Senate seat. In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his support for the former chair of the Republican National Committee, calling him “one of the most capable executives in our country.”

Whatley is running against former Gov. Roy Cooper, the Democratic nominee, in a high-stakes race that is sure to make national headlines.

ROY COOPER HOLDS LEAD OVER MICHAEL WHATLEY IN SENATE RACE: NEW POLL

Trump’s visit comes as recent polling shows Cooper with a lead over Whatley in the upcoming election. According to a Sept. 10 poll from Elon University, Cooper holds an 11% lead over Whatley. The poll says Cooper is favored by 49%, and Whatley is favored by 38%.

The midterm elections are less than 50 days away. Absentee-by-mail voting in North Carolina has already begun, while in-person early voting will take place from Oct. 15 to Oct. 31.

This story will be updated.