Roy Cooper wins in North Carolina, flipping Senate seat for Democrats

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

Cooper, 69, is simply a fashionable two-term politician and the longest-serving authorities lawyer wide successful North Carolina's history. His Senate candidacy acceptable up North Carolina arsenic Democrats' champion accidental to triumph a Republican-held spot during the 2026 midterm elections.

Cooper faced disconnected against Whatley, the erstwhile Republican National Committee president who had ne'er antecedently tally for bureau but was backed by President Trump. 

Whatley, 57, worked successful erstwhile President George W. Bush's medication and arsenic main of unit for erstwhile North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole earlier serving arsenic president of the authorities Republican Party. He went connected to play a cardinal relation successful President Trump's reelection effort arsenic RNC chair, and entered the Senate contention with the president's encouragement. 

North Carolina hasn't elected a Democratic legislator since 2008. And adjacent earlier Tillis decided not to question reelection, facing a superior menace from the president, the contention was expected to beryllium competitive, since Mr. Trump won the authorities by conscionable 3 points successful 2024.

While Whatley campaigned connected helping enact Mr. Trump's docket and warring for blimpish values, Cooper leaned into the economy, with a "make worldly outgo less" message. And amid the president's unpopular warfare with Iran and precocious state prices, Whatley's closeness to the president did not look to assistance the GOP's chances successful the Tar Heel State. 

The projected triumph for Cooper comes arsenic Republicans are warring to bent connected to power of the precocious chamber, aft competitory races opened up successful respective states that Mr. Trump comfortably won successful 2024. Democrats request to flip 4 seats, and support a fistful of others.