Democrat Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley to win North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat, flipping it for Democrats, according to race calls by NBC News and the Associated Press. Cooper, a former governor, won as Democrats sought to use voter dissatisfaction with the economy to regain control of the chamber.
WHO:
Roy Cooper
WHAT:
Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley to win North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat, flipping it for Democrats.
WHEN:
Reported Nov 3, 2026 at 8:25 PM ET
WHERE:
North Carolina, USA
WHY:
Democrats sought to leverage voter dissatisfaction with the economy to retake control of the Senate.
Reporting from 11 identified publishers across this event arc.
