Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has won the state’s US Senate race, defeating Republican Michael Whatley and securing a major victory for Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections.
According to The Guardian, Cooper’s victory marks the first time in a decade that North Carolina voters have elected a Democrat to the Senate.
Cooper defeated Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman, to replace retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
He focused his campaign on rising living costs, promising to make food, housing and energy more affordable under his “Make Stuff Cost Less” message.
He also highlighted his record as governor, particularly his work on expanding Medicaid and improving teachers’ pay.
Meanwhile, Whatley and Republicans attempted to link Cooper to violent crime, immigration concerns and debates over transgender athletes.
Cooper, who previously served as North Carolina’s attorney general and two-term governor, entered the race with strong name recognition and significant financial backing.
Cooper’s victory flips a Republican-held Senate seat to Democrats as the party seeks to regain control of Congress.
