Democratic Roy Cooper wins the Senate election in North Carolina, according to the Associated Press. The agency awarded him the victory on 3 November 2026 at 8.23 p.m. Eastern time, on 4 November at 1:23 a.m. UTC and 3:23 a.m. in Beirut.
The former governor beats Republican Michael Whatley. The seat was held by Republican Thom Tillis, who did not request a new mandate. This allocation is therefore a gain for the Democrats in the battle of the federal Senate.
A change of camp
Cooper was Governor and Attorney General of North Carolina. His opponent, supported by Donald Trump, led the Republican Party in this state and then nationally.
This victory differs from the maintenance of already democratic seats, such as Jon Ossoff’s in Georgia. It alters the balance of forces in this precise race, but does not allow to announce the majority in the upper chamber alone.
An AP award, not a certification
The counting continues. The agency’s announcement is based on its electoral analysis and does not replace the formal validation procedure. No final margin or total vote is presented here.
Photo of illustration: The Federal Capitol in Washington, 1997. Architect of the Capitol, public domain.
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