Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley of North Carolina declared Tuesday that the Democratic Party has purged its moderate wing, leaving no room for centrist voices. Speaking on Fox News's 'Fox & Friends First,' the former Republican National Committee chair argued that the party has moved decisively to the left.
'There really are no centrist Democrats anymore because they’re being driven out of the party,' Whatley told host Carley Shimkus. He added, 'The fact is, that party is going further and further and further to the left. You know, it’s a woke mob at this point in time, and you see it. You see it in the leadership of that party, and every single candidate is bowing to that wing of the party.'
Whatley’s remarks came in response to a question about an Axios report that Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has been meeting with potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates, and that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is weighing a White House bid. The developments, he suggested, underscore the party’s leftward trajectory.
President Donald Trump has endorsed Whatley in his race against former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat often viewed as a moderate. Whatley accused Cooper of aligning himself with the party’s most extreme elements. 'This is not where mainstream North Carolina or mainstream America is, and yet that’s where the Democrats really want to go,' he said.
Whatley framed the upcoming election as a battle between 'common sense versus crazy,' a theme he said carried over from the last cycle and would persist through 2026 and 2028. He argued that Democrats are 'lurching further and further to the left' and straying from 'rational voters' who prioritize a strong economy, secure borders, and a respected America abroad.
The contest between Whatley and Cooper is set for November, with both winning their party primaries on March 3. A recent Carolina Journal poll showed Cooper leading with 49.8 percent support among likely voters, compared to Whatley’s 38.7 percent. The race is seen as a key test of Democratic strength in a state that has trended more competitive in recent years.
Whatley’s critique echoes broader Republican messaging that Democrats are out of step with mainstream voters, a theme that has gained traction amid internal party divisions. For more on Democratic infighting, see Democrats Face Mixed Signals: Poll Gains Offset by Internal Crises and Trump's Grip. Meanwhile, some party members worry that anti-Trump fervor has become a liability, as detailed in Democrats Fear Anti-Trump Fury Is Becoming a Political Liability.
The North Carolina Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests of the cycle, with implications for control of the chamber and the broader political landscape. Whatley’s comments reflect a strategic effort to paint Cooper as part of a national Democratic shift that voters may reject at the polls.
