Democrat Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley in North Carolina's Senate race
Democrat Roy Cooper, a former North Carolina governor, defeated former Republican National Committee former Chairman Michael Whatley in the state’s Senate race, CBS News and NBC News projected. Cooper will succeed outgoing Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who did not seek a third term. The victory flips the seat to Democrats; the state last elected a Democratic senator in 2008.
More context
Democrat Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley in North Carolina’s Senate race, flipping the seat from Republican control, according to projections by CBS News and NBC News. Whatley is a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; Cooper is a former governor of North Carolina. The seat was held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who chose not to seek a third term. Cooper is the first Democrat to win a North Carolina Senate seat since 2008. His six-year term begins in January 2027. Axios described Whatley as Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate and reported that GOP-aligned super PACs canceled ads and redirected spending to other states as Cooper built a lead. The Duke Chronicle said Cooper’s win was Democrats’ first of four net pickups needed to flip the Senate from its 53-47 Republican majority.
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Reporting
- NBC News — Former Gov. Roy Cooper wins North Carolina’s Senate race, flipping the seat for Democrats - NBC News
- CBS News — Roy Cooper wins North Carolina 2026 Senate election, flipping seat for Democrats - CBS News
- NBC News — Watch live: NBC News coverage of the 2026 midterm election results - NBC News
- BBC News — Democrat Roy Cooper wins North Carolina Senate race, flipping seat from Republicans - BBC
- Axios — Democrat Roy Cooper flips North Carolina Senate seat - Axios
- dukechronicle.com — Cooper defeats Whatley in NC Senate race, cementing historic win for Democrats - The Duke Chronicle
Verifier’s note
NBC News, CBS News, The Duke Chronicle, and Axios report that Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley and flipped North Carolina’s Senate seat for Democrats. NBC News’ video page repeats NBC News’ reporting, while the BBC explicitly attributes the result to CBS News.