Democrat Roy Cooper defeats Trump-backed Michael Whatley in North Carolina Senate race

Democrat Roy Cooper has won North Carolina’s US Senate race, after defeating Republican Michael Whatley, who was backed by President Donald Trump, according to media projections. This victory gives Democrats a vital gain as they fight to secure control of the Senate.

Cooper campaigned on the increase in the cost of food and energy, capitalising on growing concerns over affordability as Trump’s approval ratings declined.

Republicans entered Tuesday’s elections with a 53-47 majority in the Senate, with Democrats requiring a net gain of four seats to take control.


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Cooper, who is 69-year-old, will succeed Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who decided not to seek re-election after falling out with Trump over Medicaid cuts included in the president’s flagship tax and spending legislation.

Cooper’s popularity and strong support among independent voters helped him set up a substantial lead in opinion polls.

His challenger, Whatley, a former chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), had never held elected office and campaigned alongside Trump in North Carolina.

Trump had endorsed Whatley in 2024 to succeed Ronna McDaniel as RNC chair. Working alongside Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and the party’s co-chair, Whatley helped oversee an election integrity initiative that sought to deploy 100,000 Republican volunteers and attorneys across battleground states to monitor voting ahead of the 2024 presidential election.