Roy Cooper wins North Carolina 2026 Senate election, flipping seat for Democrats

November 3, 2026 / 8:30 PM EST / CBS News

Washington — Democrat Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley in the North Carolina Senate race, CBS News projects, marking a flip for Democrats after GOP Sen. Thom Tillis opted not to seek reelection.

Cooper, 69, is a popular two-term governor and the longest-serving state attorney general in North Carolina's history. His Senate candidacy set up North Carolina as Democrats' best chance to win a Republican-held seat during the 2026 midterm elections.

Cooper faced off against Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman who had never previously run for office but was backed by President Trump.

Whatley, 57, worked in former President George W. Bush's administration and as chief of staff for former North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole before serving as chairman of the state Republican Party. He went on to play a central role in President Trump's reelection effort as RNC chair, and entered the Senate race with the president's encouragement.

North Carolina hasn't elected a Democratic senator since 2008. And even before Tillis decided not to seek reelection, facing a primary threat from the president, the race was expected to be competitive, since Mr. Trump won the state by just…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/