A high-stakes Senate battle is brewing in North Carolina as Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper prepare to face off for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. Both men are expected to formally enter the race within days, though neither has made an official announcement.
According to Politico, Whatley is President Trump’s favored candidate to succeed Tillis. Whatley currently leads the RNC alongside Lara Trump, who declined to move back to North Carolina and run for the seat herself. With Trump’s endorsement and a successful track record as state GOP chairman, Whatley brings national recognition and deep party loyalty into the 2026 midterm fight.
Roy Cooper, 68, remains a favorite among state Democrats. The two-term governor is slated to headline the state Democratic convention this weekend, with reports indicating he will soon launch his Senate campaign. Cooper has won every election he’s contested—13 in total—ranging from state representative to governor.
The North Carolina Senate seat is one of just two GOP-held seats in 2026 that political analysts label as vulnerable, the other belonging to Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Democrats view this race as a critical chance to flip a seat in a state with shifting voter dynamics but a growing Republican advantage.
Former Rep. Wiley Nickel is the only Democrat to have officially declared his candidacy, but his campaign would likely end if Cooper enters the race. No prominent Republicans besides Whatley have entered the fray. The filing deadline is in December, and the primary is scheduled for March 3, but party insiders anticipate uncontested paths for both Whatley and Cooper.
Whatley, 56, delivered key wins for Republicans in 2024, including President Trump’s return to the White House and a 53-47 GOP Senate majority. He emphasized unity and electoral success in his leadership. “We are already well on our way to making Joe Biden a one-term president,” he said after becoming RNC chairman.
Cooper, by contrast, has a legacy centered on Medicaid expansion, teacher pay raises, and repealing the controversial House Bill 2. But Republican-led initiatives like school choice, voter ID, and abortion limits passed despite his objections. Cultural issues—especially the protection of women’s spaces—could reignite political firestorms from Cooper’s past governance.
The GOP’s dominance in North Carolina’s recent statewide contests is stark. Since 2020, Republicans are 32-10 in such races and have not lost a U.S. Senate contest since 2008. Democrat victories in midterm Senate elections date back to 1998. Meanwhile, voter registration trends favor Republicans: since 2008, they’ve gained nearly 290,000 voters, while Democrats have lost over 555,000.
