Trending Now - Cooper and Whatley Face Off in Heated NC Senate Race
WHO:
Roy Cooper: Democrat, former two-term Governor of North Carolina.
Michael Whatley: Republican, former Chairman of the Republican National Committee during Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Thom Tillis: Retiring Republican Senator from North Carolina.
Larken Egleston: DNC delegate and consultant.
Paul Shumaker: GOP strategist.
Iryna Zarutska: 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was murdered in Charlotte.
DeCarlos Dejuan Brown Jr.: Accused of murdering Zarutska.
Jamie Ager: Democratic primary winner in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District.
Chuck Edwards: Incumbent Republican Representative in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District.
Laurie Buckhout: Republican primary winner in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District.
WHAT:
Cooper and Whatley won their respective party primaries on March 3, 2026.
The Senate race is for an open seat due to Thom Tillis's retirement.
Cooper has raised over $21 million since July 2025; Whatley has raised nearly $6.5 million.
North Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2008.
Whatley has been endorsed by Trump, who stated, "I need him in Washington."
Whatley accused Cooper of being weak on crime and immigration.
Cooper has focused his campaign on affordability and criticized Trump’s policies.
The race is expected to be one of the most expensive Senate campaigns, potentially reaching $1 billion.
WHERE:
North Carolina: The state where the Senate race is taking place.
Charlotte: Location of the murder of Iryna Zarutska.
Nashville: Cooper's hometown.
Boone: Whatley's hometown.
WHEN:
March 3, 2026: Date of the primary elections.
June 2023: Thom Tillis announced he would not seek reelection.
August 22, 2025: Iryna Zarutska was murdered.
WHY:
Democrats need to net four seats in the Senate to regain control, with North Carolina being a key target.
Whatley’s campaign is focused on maintaining Republican control and aligning with Trump’s policies.
Cooper aims to leverage his popularity and electoral success to flip the Senate seat.
HOW:
Both candidates have been campaigning against each other for months.
Whatley has attacked Cooper's record on crime and immigration, linking him to the murder of Zarutska.
Cooper has positioned himself as a moderate and criticized Whatley’s ties to Trump and the Republican agenda.
In a significant development for North Carolina's political landscape, both Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley emerged victorious in their party primaries on March 3, 2026, as they vie for the open Senate seat left by retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis. Cooper, a Democrat and former governor, has raised over $21 million since July 2025, while Republican Whatley, endorsed by Trump, has garnered nearly $6.5 million and has been critical of Cooper's record on crime and immigration. The race is expected to be one of the most expensive Senate campaigns in history, potentially reaching $1 billion, as Democrats aim to flip the seat and regain control of the Senate. In a tragic note, the campaign backdrop includes the recent murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, with DeCarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. accused of the crime. As both candidates continue to campaign vigorously, Cooper positions himself as a moderate, while Whatley aligns closely with Trump’s policies, setting the stage for a heated election season ahead.