Democrat Roy Cooper has been projected the winner of North Carolina’s US Senate election, defeating Republican Michael Whatley and taking a seat previously held by the Republican Party.
The Associated Press projected Cooper as the winner of Tuesday’s 3 November 2026 election, a result also reported by Reuters. He is set to replace retiring Republican senator Thom Tillis.
Unlike Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff’s re-election in Georgia, which retained an existing seat, North Carolina represents a gain from Republicans. Cooper is the first Democrat elected to a US Senate seat from the state since 2008.
Why did North Carolina change hands?
North Carolina has backed Donald Trump in all three of his presidential campaigns, but Cooper, a former two-term governor, has repeatedly won statewide elections as a Democrat. He served as the state’s attorney general before becoming governor in 2017, leaving office in January 2025.
The seat became open when Tillis decided not to seek a third term. His decision followed a dispute with Trump over the president’s major tax and spending legislation, including proposed Medicaid reductions.
Cooper campaigned heavily on the cost of living, particularly food, housing and healthcare, and highlighted his record on Medicaid expansion and public education. He said he would work independently and across party lines.
Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party, was backed by Trump. He defended the administration’s policies and challenged Cooper’s record on crime and the response to Hurricane Helene. Cooper rejected the criticism of his handling of the 2024 hurricane.
What does the result mean for control of the Senate?
Republicans entered the midterms holding 53 of the chamber’s 100 seats, against 47 held by Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them. Democrats therefore needed a net gain of four seats for a 51-seat majority.
North Carolina provides one such gain, but it does not, by itself, decide who will control the next Senate. Results from other states must be considered separately, including any Republican gains in Democratic-held seats.
For the wider timetable and background to the election, see the Fish 4 News guide to the 2026 US midterms.
Is the election result official?
The reported victory is based on election-night projections, not certification of the final count. The North Carolina State Board of Elections is responsible for publishing and certifying the official results.
Voting continued beyond the usual 7.30 pm Eastern deadline at five polling places affected by disruptions on Tuesday. State election officials delayed releasing initial results until after the last of those locations closed at 8.15 pm, according to WUNC. That extension is part of the normal process for ensuring affected voters can cast their ballots; it does not undermine the distinction between a media projection and a certified result.
Official figures can be checked on the North Carolina State Board of Elections results portal. Fish 4 News has not published a final vote share or margin before certification.
