BREAKING: Democrats Flip Senate Seat In Swing State

Decision Desk HQ projects Roy Cooper wins the NC US Senate General Election#DecisionMade: 8:23 PM EST

Follow live results here: https://t.co/rzOv0YSYrr pic.twitter.com/gjqYShwqrP

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) November 4, 2026

Click to expand...

Cooper has been favored to win for months, as a popular governor with high name recognition in the key swing state. His opponent, former GOP operative Michael Whatley, was endorsed by President Trump but saw national Republicans shift their funding and attention away from him in the later months of the race.

Tillis announced his retirement plans in June 2025, a day after joining Democrats to oppose Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act over its cuts to Medicaid benefits. Since then, he has become one of the more outspoken critics of the Trump administration.

Click to expand...

BREAKING: The Fox News Decision Desk can project that former Governor Roy Cooper will flip North Carolina’s open Senate seat to the Democrats.

Download the Fox News app now for live midterm election updates and race calls.https://t.co/Q8qTIP7tyY pic.twitter.com/UNjqCCc6qT

— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 4, 2026

Click to expand...

Whatley, 57, worked in former President George W. Bush’s administration and as chief of staff for former North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole before serving as chairman of the state Republican Party. He went on to play a central role in President Trump’s reelection effort as RNC chair, and entered the Senate race with the president’s encouragement.

North Carolina hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 2008. And even before Tillis decided not to seek reelection, facing a primary threat from the president, the race was expected to be competitive, since Mr. Trump won the state by just three points in 2024.

While Whatley campaigned on helping enact Mr. Trump’s agenda and fighting for conservative values, Cooper leaned into the economy, with a “make stuff cost less” message. And amid the president’s unpopular war with Iran and high gas prices, Whatley’s closeness to the president did not appear to help the GOP’s chances in the Tar Heel State.

Click to expand...