Democrat Roy Cooper has won the US Senate race in North Carolina, defeating Republican Michael Whatley in a significant pickup for his party. The Associated Press called the race for Cooper at 8:24 p.m. ET on Tuesday, with the former governor leading 66.8% to 31.6%.
Cooper, 69, a two-term former governor, will succeed Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. His victory ends an 18-year Republican winning streak for Senate seats in the Tar Heel State and is a necessary gain for Democrats in their efforts to regain control of the upper chamber.
Whatley, 58, who previously chaired the Republican National Committee, had benefited from his close ties to former President Donald Trump. Trump had endorsed Whatley in North Carolina, a state he won three times. However, Republicans faced national headwinds, including voter frustration over the cost of living and gas prices.
In the final weeks of the campaign, Republicans shifted $10 million away from North Carolina's Senate race to support incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, ceasing further spending by super PACs that had backed Whatley. Initially, $71 million had been allocated for the North Carolina GOP nominee, but only $30 million was spent before this strategic shift.
The North Carolina Senate seat became a key target for both parties after Sen. Tillis announced he would not seek another term. The state had not elected a Democrat to the Senate since Kay Hagan's victory in 2008, who was later defeated by Tillis.
During the campaign, Whatley's team criticized Cooper for his record on crime, pointing to the appointment of a former gang member to a criminal justice task force and the release of prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic. A review found that a significant number of these released individuals later committed serious felonies.
Cooper, in turn, criticized Whatley for his association with Trump, whose approval ratings have been historically low in recent surveys. Cooper also highlighted Whatley's appointment of a child sex offender to a state party role.