President Donald Trump’s Senate pick is taking a beating over his links to a child sex offender. He previously told the Daily Beast that he was open with the party’s leadership about his past “from day one.” Whatley is locked in battle with Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Roy Cooper for a seat currently held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. In March, he told the Daily Beast that both sides have “failed to understand” that prison rehabilitates some people and stressed that his past convictions have long been known. Trump reaffirmed his Whatley endorsement 20 minutes after the Daily Beast asked the White House for a comment.