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The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), a top Republican super PAC, is halting its ad spending in North Carolina's closely watched Senate race and reallocating funds to Kansas. This shift comes after spending over $17 million on ads for the North Carolina race in September but now has no plans to add to the remaining $19 million in booked ads due to poor prospects for their candidate Michael Whatley against Democrat Roy Cooper. Meanwhile, SLF is launching a new ad campaign in traditionally Republican Kansas, where the Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton has gained ground, despite the state not electing a Democrat to the Senate since 1932.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), a top Republican super PAC aligned with Senate GOP leadership, has paused its ad spending in North Carolina's Senate race, where polls show former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper leading over Republican nominee Michael Whatley. The SLF is shifting resources to support Senator Roger Marshall's re-election campaign in traditionally red-leaning Kansas, potentially redirecting up to $10 million before the November 3rd election. This move reflects growing concerns among Republicans about defending seats in states that could be increasingly competitive for Democrats due to President Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings and voter frustration with high costs and the Iran war. The SLF had previously pledged $71 million to North Carolina but has now cut its losses, spending just $30 million there before redirecting funds elsewhere.
Written for “GOP Shifting Funds To KansasSenateRace” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
A top Republican super PAC is pausing its ad spending in the Senate race in North Carolina and launching a new ad effort in Kansas, the latest sign the fight for the majority is shifting to red states amid an increasingly tough landscape for the GOP.
asserted
fight → pause → GOP
The new moves from the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate GOP leadership, were first reported by Semafor and confirmed by two people with knowledge of the decision.
asserted
moves → align → decision
Ad spending decisions can provide clear signals about the races parties and outside groups view as the most competitive and further out of reach.
asserted
parties → provide → reach
SLF’s move to direct resources to Kansas underscores how Democrats are putting traditionally Republican states in play as they try to net four seats to take control of the Senate.
asserted
they → direct → Senate
Democrats will need to win multiple states President Donald Trump won by double digits in 2024, in addition to defending seats in battleground states.
asserted
Trump → need → states
As Election Day draws closer, Democrats are growing more optimistic about their chances as Trump’s approval ratings drop and voters express frustrations with high costs and the Iran war.
asserted
voters → draw → costs
The race in Kansas between GOP Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic pastor Adam Hamilton has become more competitive in the homestretch, even though the state has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1932.
asserted
state → become → 1932
SLF had been actively involved in North Carolina, where former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is facing former Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat.
asserted
Whatley → face → Cooper
In September, the group spent more than $17 million on the race, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
uncertain
group → spend → firm
The group still has another $19 million in ads booked through Election Day but now has no plans to add to that.
asserted
group → have → that
Trump and Vice President JD Vance also each traveled to the state last month to boost Whatley, whom the president personally encouraged to run for the open seat.
But the decision to pause spending in North Carolina, a perennial battleground, is a sign that the race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is drifting away from the GOP.
asserted
race → travel → GOP
Republicans have been pessimistic for weeks about their prospects in the state, with Cooper leading in recent polling and outspending Whatley.
asserted
Cooper → lead → Whatley
The party’s level of confidence in their chances of defeating Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia has also been dwindling, but one person familiar with SLF’s spending noted the group has not paused its spending in that race.
asserted
group → defeat → race
Trump won Georgia by just 2 points in 2024.
asserted
Trump → win → 2024
Still, SLF has focused the bulk of its resources on other hotly contested Senate races.
asserted
SLF → focus → races
In September, SLF spent $78 million on ads in Texas through an affiliated group, and SLF itself spent nearly $33 million in Ohio.
asserted
SLF → spend → Ohio
Elsewhere, the group last month spent $16 million in Michigan, $15 million in Iowa, $13 million in Maine, $10 million in Georgia, $8 million in Alaska and $5 million in New Hampshire, according to AdImpact.
uncertain
group → spend → AdImpact
In the month of October through the Nov. 3 election, SLF’s Texas group has booked $48 million in ads, while SLF is set to spend $40 million in Ohio, $18 million in Michigan, $17 million in Maine, $16 million in Georgia, nearly $14 million in Iowa, $8 million in New Hampshire and $5 million in Alaska.
asserted
SLF → book → Alaska
Trump carried Texas, Ohio, Iowa and Alaska all by double digits in 2024.
asserted
Trump → carry → 2024
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