Democrat Roy Cooper has secured victory in North Carolina's Senate race, defeating former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley. The Associated Press called the race for Cooper on Tuesday evening, marking a significant early win for Democrats in the midterm elections.
Cooper's victory in a state that Donald Trump has carried three times puts Democrats three seats away from achieving a Senate majority. The outcome of races in Texas, Ohio, Maine, Michigan, and Alaska will determine control of the chamber.
The North Carolina race had been closely watched, with Cooper consistently leading Whatley by a significant margin in polls leading up to Election Day. This consistent lead led both political parties to halt ad spending in the state in the final weeks of the campaign. Fundraising also favored Cooper, who reported approximately $20 million in funding during the third quarter, far outpacing Whatley's $2 million during the same period.
Despite Whatley's close ties to Donald Trump, who made multiple campaign appearances in North Carolina to support him, his efforts failed to sway voters. The race highlighted a shift within the Republican party, as outgoing Republican Senator Thom Tillis had previously criticized Trump and expressed concerns about the party's direction.
Tillis, who is retiring, suggested that the party might need a more moderate candidate and that Whatley's background as a partisan operative could alienate independent voters. He noted that Republican success in the state depends on winning over undecided and unaffiliated voters.
Cooper's win is the first time a Democrat has won a U.S. Senate race in North Carolina since 2008. 
