General U.S. NewsNov 4, 2026·2 min read

Democrat Roy Cooper wins a North Carolina Senate seat

NPR – Politics

21h ago

Democrat Roy Cooper wins a North Carolina Senate seat

Summary

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, the Democratic Senate nominee, speaks at a campaign event on Sunday in Concord, N.C. Allison Joyce/Getty Images hide caption Midterms coverage: Live results | What to know | Stories around the country Stay connected: NPR Politics Podcast | NPR Politics newsletter | NPR app Democrat Roy Cooper has won North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat, according to a race call from the Associated Press, providing the party with a key Senate flip. The former governor becomes the first Democrat elected to the Senate from North Carolina since 2008. Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chair who President Trump picked to replace retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. Meanwhile, Whatley's campaign centered around crime and immigration issues. The race was Whatley's first run for elected office, and Cooper's campaign painted him as a lobbyist for Big Oil who would become a rubber stamp for Trump in the Senate. "So when we're not talking about those issues, it's going to be hard to connect with people that go to Walmart for their groceries and can only get 80% of what they used to buy because the prices have gone up." The North Carolina Senate race was initially expected to be one of the most competitive — and most expensive — in the country, but Whatley never led in polling, and Cooper's lead widened over the course of the race.

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Democrat Roy Cooper has won North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat, according to a race call from the Associated Press, providing the party with a key Senate flip. (Image credit: Allison Joyce)

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