Democrats Win Key North Carolina Races
Democratic candidates took several North Carolina and national races in the 2026 midterm elections, while Watauga County contests and a U.S. House race remained close.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections
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Democratic candidates won the U.S. Senate race between Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley and several other contests on the 2026 midterm election night. Ray Pickett is projected to lose the North Carolina House 93rd District race to Charlie Wallin.
Why it matters
The results reshape representation in North Carolina's state legislature and congressional delegation. Several races, including the 5th Congressional District, remained unresolved as provisional ballots were counted.
Election night returns showed Chuck Hubbard and Virginia Foxx separated by less than 1% in the North Carolina 5th Congressional District, with no winner declared. Provisional ballots must still be counted before the race can be called.
The players
Roy Cooper
Roy Cooper is a Democratic politician who won the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina against Michael Whatley.
Ray Pickett
Ray Pickett is a North Carolina politician who is projected to lose the North Carolina House 93rd District race to Charlie Wallin.
The details
Watch parties were held in Boone by the Watauga County GOP at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites and by the Watauga County Democratic Party at FizzEd. Results were called for Democratic candidates as they came in throughout the evening, while Adam Hege won the Watauga County Board of Commissioners 1st District seat and Savva Kostis was projected to lose the 2nd District seat to Ray Russell.
Timeline
November 2024: Republicans celebrated a sweep at prior election watch parties.
- 2026-11-03
The 2026 midterm elections were held Tuesday night.
Political Context
The 2026 results reverse the Republican sweep that party supporters celebrated at watch parties in November 2024. Opposition-side Democrats gained ground in North Carolina's Senate and House contests, while Republicans remained competitive in the still-contested 5th District.
North Carolina voters will see new state House and congressional representatives based on these results once winners are certified. Watauga County residents will also see new county commissioners seated in the outcome of the local races.
The takeaway
Election outcomes in close races can take days to finalize as provisional ballots are counted, so readers should wait for official results before drawing conclusions.
What happens next
Provisional ballots in the North Carolina 5th Congressional District must be counted before that race can be called.
Further reading
For more on the state's contests, see Elections coverage for North Carolina.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Appalachian.
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