Cooper files for open North Carolina U.S. Senate seat
Read, Watch or Listen
Raleigh, N.C. — Former governor Roy Cooper filed on Dec. 3 to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, marking high-profile entry in the 2026 contest. State election records show Cooper filed a day after Republican Michael Whatley, who secured President Donald Trump's endorsement in July. Cooper said Washington is broken and pledged to work across parties on jobs, health care and costs. Additional Republicans including Don Brown and Elizabeth Temple also filed. Primaries will occur March 3, 2026, with the general election slated for November 2026. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.
Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.
Timeline of Events
- June 2024: Sen. Thom Tillis announces he will not seek reelection.
- July 2024: Roy Cooper launches campaign; Michael Whatley receives Trump's endorsement.
- Dec. 2, 2024: Michael Whatley files paperwork for the Senate race (per filings).
- Dec. 3, 2024: Roy Cooper files officially with the State Board of Elections.
- March 3, 2026: North Carolina holds primaries ahead of the November 2026 general election.
- Articles Published:
- 7
- Right Leaning:
- 1
- Left Leaning:
- 0
- Neutral:
- 6
- Distribution:
- Left 0%, Center 86%, Right 14%
Roy Cooper and Democratic strategists benefit from increased visibility, fundraising momentum, and clearer messaging ahead of the 2026 primaries and general election following Cooper's formal filing for the U.S. Senate.
Republican operatives and potential GOP candidates face increased pressure to consolidate resources and respond to a high-profile Democratic entry into the open North Carolina Senate race.
Coverage of Story:
From Left
No left-leaning sources found for this story.
From Center
Cooper files for open North Carolina U.S. Senate seat
WLOS WPDE The Asheville Citizen Times abc11 News https://www.wect.com WYFF4From Right
Former Gov. Roy Cooper files for U.S. Senate, challenging Trump-backed RNC leader
FOX Carolina
Comments