Roy Cooper Wins North Carolina Senate Seat, Hands Democrats Key Midterm Pickup
Democrat Roy Cooper has won North Carolina's US Senate race, according to media projections, defeating Republican Michael Whatley in a result that gives his party an important gain in its effort to win control of the chamber.
The projection was based on vote counts and exit polling on Tuesday (November 3, 2026). Official results are subject to certification by state election authorities in the coming weeks.
Mr Cooper, 69, is a former two-term governor with broad statewide recognition. He campaigned heavily on the cost of food and energy, an issue that dominated the closing weeks of the national campaign as President Donald Trump's approval ratings declined in opinion surveys.
He is projected to succeed Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who announced his retirement after breaking with Mr Trump over Medicaid cuts included in the president's tax and spending law. Mr Tillis had held the seat since 2015.
Mr Whatley, a former chair of the Republican National Committee, has never held elective office. He campaigned in North Carolina alongside Mr Trump, who endorsed him for the Senate race. In 2024, Mr Trump backed Mr Whatley to replace Ronna McDaniel as party chair. With the president's daughter-in-law Lara Trump as co-chair, Mr Whatley helped lead an RNC election integrity programme that sought to place 100,000 Republican volunteers and attorneys in battleground states to monitor voting ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Public opinion polls during the campaign had shown Mr Cooper with a significant lead, including strong support among independent voters. Analysts attributed the gap to his long record in state politics and to Mr Whatley's status as a first-time candidate.
What the result means for the Senate
Republicans entered Tuesday's elections holding a 53-47 Senate majority. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to reach 51 and take control of the chamber, which confirms presidential appointments, including judges, and can block or advance legislation.
North Carolina is one of a handful of competitive Senate contests this cycle. Control of the chamber will depend on the outcome of the remaining races, several of which were also too close to call on election night.
In the US system, Senate elections are held alongside the midterm congressional elections every two years. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and roughly one-third of the Senate are contested. The party that controls the Senate can set the floor agenda, conduct confirmations and oversee investigations of the executive branch.
Background to the race
Mr Cooper served as governor of North Carolina from 2017 to 2025, having previously served as the state's attorney general. Under state law he could not seek a third consecutive term. His campaign emphasised economic concerns, healthcare and state investment in infrastructure.
The Medicaid dispute that preceded Mr Tillis's retirement reflected a broader disagreement within the Republican Party over the scope of federal health spending. Supporters of the tax and spending law argued it was necessary to control the deficit; critics, including Mr Tillis, said the Medicaid reductions would reduce coverage for low-income families and strain rural hospitals.
Both campaigns were heavily funded by national party committees and outside groups. Turnout in North Carolina, a state that has voted narrowly in recent presidential elections, was reported to be high in urban and suburban counties.
Election officials have urged voters to rely on certified results rather than unofficial counts, and the state provides for a recount in close races where the margin falls below a set threshold. Both parties have said they will monitor the certification process.
