Where the Cooper-Whatley race really stands

A ton of polls hit last week. On the surface, they look all over the place. Underneath, they’re telling a pretty consistent story.

Now that we’re past the primary, we got a blitz of polls over the past week gauging the U.S. Senate race between former Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley.

At first glance, they seem to be all over the place:

• PPP: Cooper 47, Whatley 44, undecided 9 (Cooper + 3)

• Carolina Journal: Cooper 49, Whatley 41, other 4, undecided 6 (Cooper + 8)

• Quantus Insights: Cooper 48.6, Whatley 43.8, other 1.9, undecided 5.7 (Cooper + 5)

• Healthier United: Cooper 50, Whatley 32, Shannon Bray 4, undecided 14 (Cooper +18)

• Catawba College: Cooper 48, Whatley 34, undecided 14 (Cooper + 14)

As I’ve written before, poll reading is as much art as it is science. We know Cooper is ahead. But is he up three, or is he up 18?