Democrat Cooper wins North Carolina Senate seat in key party flip

A historic Senate victory

Cooper, North Carolina’s governor from 2017 through 2024, defeated Whatley, a former chair of the Republican National Committee. President Trump had selected Whatley to run for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.

The Associated Press called the race for Cooper. His win marks the first time since 2008 that a Democrat has been elected to the U.S. Senate from North Carolina.

Campaigns stressed different concerns

Cooper made affordability central to his campaign, presenting his appearances around the state as a “Make Stuff Cost Less” tour. Whatley instead highlighted crime and immigration, and attacked Cooper over a pandemic-era settlement that led to some state prisoners being released to ease overcrowding.

Cooper’s campaign portrayed Whatley as a Big Oil lobbyist who would support Trump’s agenda in the Senate. Whatley had not previously run for elected office, while Cooper entered the race after serving two terms as governor.

Money and polling shaped race

Cooper and Democratic groups spent substantially more than Whatley and Republican allies. Several weeks before Election Day, national GOP organizations withdrew television advertising from North Carolina and moved those funds to other contests, including Kansas.

The contest had been expected to rank among the nation’s most competitive and costly Senate races. Whatley did not lead in polling, and Cooper’s advantage increased as the campaign progressed.

Economy remained a voter concern

Republican strategist Patrick Sebastian, who was not part of Whatley’s campaign, argued that the candidate should have emphasized the economy more. Sebastian said voters were focused on economic conditions and government corruption, adding that rising prices made it harder for shoppers to buy what they once could.

Trump and Vice President Vance held several North Carolina rallies in the campaign’s final weeks, even after pro-Whatley television advertising largely vanished in October. Sebastian said the visits may have boosted Republican turnout, but did not rescue Whatley’s campaign.

Tillis said in 2025 that he would not seek another term, after Trump threatened to back a primary challenger over Tillis’s opposition to the president’s tax and spending bill. Instead of campaigning for Whatley, Tillis promoted a book criticizing fellow Republicans.