In what will be a crucial test for both parties this November, former Gov. Roy Cooper will likely face Michael Whatley (R), former chairman of the Republican National Committee, in the general election to fill Sen. Thom Tillis’s (R) seat.
Tillis announced in June 2025 that he would not seek reelection, prompting many prominent Republicans and Democrats to announce their candidacy and setting off a wave of political spending. President Trump has endorsed Whatley, and Gov. Josh Stein and the Sierra Club have endorsed Cooper.
President Trump announced his endorsement for Whatley in July, shortly after Whatley said he would run for the open seat.
“I have a mission for my friends in North Carolina, and that is to get Michael Whatley to run for the U.S. Senate,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He is STRONG on the Border, stopping Crime, supporting our Military/Veterans, cutting Taxes, and saving our always under siege Second Amendment. I need him in Washington, and I need him representing YOU!”
Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, announced her support for Cooper the day of his announcement.
“There is no one who loves North Carolina more than Roy Cooper,” she said in a statement. “From expanding Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians, to working across the aisle to balance the budget and bring good-paying jobs to our state, to taking on scammers and criminals as attorney general, Governor Cooper has always put us first. Roy Cooper is one of the best champions North Carolina has ever had, and we are confident he will flip this seat in 2026.”
Cooper, a Democrat, has held political office for nearly 40 years. He served as governor of North Carolina from 2017 to 2025, as attorney general of North Carolina from 2001 to 2017 and as a member of the NC General Assembly from 1987 to 2001. He also served as the chair of the National Democratic Governors Association in 2022.
Whatley served as chair of the North Carolina Republican Party from 2019 to 2024 and chair of the Republican National Committee from 2024 to 2025, when the GOP won the presidential election and both houses of Congress.
Both candidates are natives of North Carolina and have attracted financial support in addition to political endorsements. Cooper raised more than $9.5 million in the fourth quarter of fundraising in 2025, and Whatley reportedly raised $5.1 million in the same timeframe.
The Cook Political Report describes this race as a toss-up, as the candidates are within a few percentage points of each other.
According to the latest Carolina Journal poll, Cooper (47.3%) leads Whatley (38.6%) by 8.7 points.
“Cooper’s lead continues to benefit from strong name recognition among voters,” said Carolina Journal publisher and John Locke Foundation CEO, Donald Bryson. “If Whatley or Brown want to have a chance in this race, they will need to get in front of voters and raise their own public profile.”
According to many political experts and insiders, this race will likely be the most expensive Senate race in the nation’s history, with projected costs estimated at over $600 million. A lack of other competitive Senate races nationwide suggests that this North Carolina battleground election could be a watershed for both parties.
The primary will be held on March 3, 2026, and the general election will be held on Nov. 3, 2026. More information on voting in North Carolina can be found on the State Board of Elections website.
