Michele Morrow, a conservative activist and 2024 candidate for state superintendent, has officially entered North Carolina’s high-stakes 2026 U.S. Senate race. With a pointed message on her campaign site reading, “Hey Roy …,” Morrow launched her campaign just one day before the filing deadline, directly confronting Democrat front-runner and outgoing Governor Roy Cooper.
Morrow joins a crowded GOP primary field seeking to replace retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis. Her late entry adds another layer to a race already expected to shatter campaign spending records, with forecasts projecting between $750 million and $1 billion in total expenditures.
The Republican primary includes Michael Whatley, the Trump-endorsed former head of both the Republican National Committee and North Carolina GOP. Whatley is set to appear with President Donald Trump in Rocky Mount this weekend. Despite Trump’s backing, early polling shows Cooper holding a notable lead over Whatley in hypothetical matchups.
Morrow, who hails from Cary, previously ran on a platform focused on parental rights and education reform, narrowly losing to Democrat Mo Green in 2024. Her entry adds to a diverse Republican field that also includes Thomas Johnson of Garner, Margot Dupre of Charlotte, Don Brown of Waxhaw, and Elizabeth Temple of Smithfield.
On the Democrat side, Cooper faces challengers Marcus Williams, Orrick Quick, Justin Dean, and Daryl Farrow. Libertarian Shannon Bray has also filed to run.
Morrow enters the race with just over $800 in campaign funds, compared to Whatley’s $1.1 million and Cooper’s war chest of $8.5 million. Still, Republicans have dominated recent statewide races in North Carolina, winning 32 of 42 contests since 2020 and taking every U.S. Senate seat since 2010.
North Carolina’s 2026 ballot will be one of the most expansive in the nation, with over 170 legislative races, 14 congressional seats, and a U.S. Senate seat up for grabs.
