Cooper Wins Open North Carolina Senate Seat
Former governor Roy Cooper defeats Michael Whatley to succeed retiring Sen. Thom Tillis.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Roy Cooper won the open U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina, with The Associated Press calling the race for him at 8:23 p.m. on Tuesday. He defeated Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman, to replace Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced his retirement.
Why it matters
Cooper's win gives North Carolina's Senate delegation a new member with deep experience in state government and consumer finance policy. His background as attorney general, where he helped usher in some of the first predatory lending laws, is relevant to the Senate Banking Committee, on which he is a likely candidate for a seat.
The Associated Press called the race at 8:23 p.m. Tuesday, relatively early on election night. Banking Committee assignments will depend on how Senate control is ultimately decided.
The players
Roy Cooper
Cooper is a former North Carolina governor and attorney general who previously helped usher in some of the state's first predatory lending laws.
Michael Whatley
Whatley is a former chairman of the Republican National Committee who lost the North Carolina Senate race to Cooper.
Thom Tillis
Tillis is a Republican senator from North Carolina who announced his retirement and chairs the Senate Banking Committee's subcommittee on financial services.
The details
Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, former Republican National Committee chairman, to take the seat Tillis is vacating. Cooper previously served as North Carolina's attorney general and governor, and in 2004 testified before the Senate Banking Committee on federal preemption.
Timeline
2004: Cooper testifies before the Senate Banking Committee as North Carolina's attorney general.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, 8:23 p.m.: The Associated Press calls the Senate race for Cooper.
Legal Context
Cooper's 2004 testimony on federal preemption of state lending laws places his Senate bid within a long-running fight over how much authority states keep over consumer lending. His return to the Banking Committee arena would revisit those same state-versus-federal questions.
North Carolina voters now have a senator with a long record on consumer lending rules, which may shape how state residents' loans and financial protections are handled in Washington. The Banking Committee assignment will determine how directly Cooper can influence those policies.
The takeaway
Senate committee placements often follow the final balance of power, so Cooper's influence on banking policy will depend on how Senate control settles. Readers following North Carolina's delegation should watch those committee announcements.
What happens next
Senate Banking Committee seat assignments are expected to follow once final control of the Senate is determined.
Further reading
Explore more North Carolina election coverage for context on the state's Senate race.
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