Roy Cooper Flips North Carolina Senate Seat for Democrats
Former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper defeated Trump ally Michael Whatley in North Carolina, flipping a Republican Senate seat for Democrats.
At a glance
- Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley to win North Carolina's Senate seat.
- This triumph represents the initial occasion a Democratic candidate has secured a Senate election in the state since 2008.
- Cooper succeeds retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
Democrat Roy Cooper has won the North Carolina Senate race, defeating Republican Michael Whatley and capturing a key seat for his party. The projected victory represents the initial occasion a Democratic candidate has secured a Senate contest in the state since 2008.
Cooper, a former two-term governor and state attorney general, succeeds retiring GOP Senator Thom Tillis. He ran a campaign focused heavily on the cost of living and health care, overcoming Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman backed by President Donald Trump.
How the race unfolded
Fox News reported that with votes counted, Cooper secured 66.40 percent of the vote compared to Whatley's 31.96 percent. The high-profile matchup drew massive attention as Democrats looked to pick up seats in the upper chamber.
Cooper thanked voters in a post on X, writing that the state has more in common than divides it. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee praised the outcome, stating that Cooper will work to expand health care access and reduce living costs.
Why the Republican campaign struggled
Whatley entered the race as a first-time candidate with strong backing from President Trump, who rallied alongside him in the state. However, the campaign faced severe headwinds as public frustration grew over the economy and the administration's war with Iran.
Cooper maintained a solid lead in public opinion polls, prompting top Republican super PACs to pull advertising funds from the state in the final weeks to protect seats elsewhere. Even President Trump acknowledged Cooper's strong standing during an October rally in the state, remarking that he was likely to win the seat.
What to watch: Watch how Cooper navigates working with the White House as a new Democratic senator in a closely divided Washington.
Reporting from: CBS News, NBC News, Fox News. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- Roy Cooper
- Michael Whatley
- Thom Tillis
- Donald Trump
- Senate Elections
- United States
- Politics