Carolina softcore ecstasy

One thing about the upcoming elections that is almost taken for granted although it’s unusual on paper is that Trumo-Trump-Trump North Carolina seems like a considerably more comfortable race for Democrats than Maine or Michigan or New Hampshire:

Republicans are increasingly worried that North Carolina’s Senate race is slipping out of contention.

For months, they had argued that a post-Labor Day infusion of cash could jolt new energy into the largely stagnant but critical Senate race. But as Republican nominee Michael Whatley struggles to meaningfully close the gap against Democrat Roy Cooper in the polls, some in the party fear they’re running out of time.

Republicans’ concerns were apparent in side conversations, closed-door meetings and even on-stage speeches at their splashy midterm convention in Dallas.

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, a former National Republican Senatorial Committee chair, told POLITICO that North Carolina was “probably one of the hardest” states on the map.

“You’re running against an existing governor,” Scott said of Cooper. “So that makes it harder in an open seat.”

One person, granted anonymity to discuss a private lunch they attended with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the Senate Leadership Fund on the second day of the convention, similarly described the North Carolina race as “tough.” The lunch was focused on the party’s battleground Senate map, and Thune zeroed in on Alaska, Maine and Michigan as top targets.

“North Carolina and Georgia are seen by most as off the map at this point, and with Michigan and New Hampshire becoming real flip opportunities as we get closer to November, it’s becoming even more challenging to justify spending in North Carolina and Georgia,” said one GOP pollster who was in Dallas for the convention and, like others in this article, was granted anonymity to speak candidly.

Public polling has consistently shown Cooper ahead, including a survey released Thursday that found the Democrat leading Whatley by 11 points among likely voters.

Georgia is an outlier too but Ossoff is obviously a major political talent and possible presidential contender. Cooper is just as high-WAR a politician but to outsiders it’s not obvious why, although frankly the lack of national attention is probably a good thing. It’s also true that the politicians who most outperform the partisan baseline — Susan Collins, Joe Manchin, and Tammy Baldwin being obvious examples — aren’t necessarily “exciting” or particularly charismatic politicians. Whatever it is that Cooper is doing, let’s hope he just keeps doing it.