Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper launched his campaign for U.S. Senate on Monday, setting up a high-stakes battle in one of the nation’s most competitive states and giving Democrats a marquee contender in their push to retake the majority.
Cooper, a two-term governor who left office in January, enters the race to succeed retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) with strong name recognition, statewide infrastructure, and a record of winning tough races in a state that has trended red at the federal level. His candidacy immediately reshapes the 2026 Senate map, offering Democrats a rare pickup opportunity in a cycle in which they are largely on defense.
“I’ve thought on it and prayed about it, and I’ve decided I want to serve as your next United States senator, because even now, I still believe our best days are ahead of us,” Cooper said in a campaign launch video. “I love North Carolina, and I know you do, too.”
During his time in office, Cooper earned a reputation as a pragmatic, steady-handed leader. He focused on expanding Medicaid, boosting education funding, and blocking GOP-led legislation, often clashing with the Republican legislature. Despite the state’s conservative tilt, Cooper remained popular and won reelection in 2020 even as Trump carried North Carolina.
The race is expected to pit Cooper against Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, who has secured President Donald Trump’s “complete and total endorsement.” Whatley is preparing his own campaign and is widely viewed as the GOP front-runner following the president’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump’s decision not to run.
National Democrats praised Cooper’s entry, calling him one of the party’s strongest recruits of the cycle. Republicans, however, were quick to criticize Cooper.
“Roy Cooper is a Democrat lapdog who spent his time as Governor sabotaging President Trump, doing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ bidding, releasing violent illegal aliens into North Carolina streets, and championing radical transgender ideology,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez.
Cooper is expected to face a primary challenge from former Rep. Wiley Nickel, but Democratic operatives anticipate the party will quickly consolidate around the former governor.
The contest is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely watched of 2026, with control of the Senate possibly hinging on the outcome. Democrats see Cooper’s candidacy as a chance to break Republicans’ recent winning streak in North Carolina Senate races, in which the GOP has prevailed in seven of the last eight contests.
First elected in 2014, Tillis delivered a fiery floor speech last month denouncing Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, warning that its deep Medicaid cuts would “betray the promise Donald Trump made” to voters. He was one of just two Republicans to vote against the bill, a defiant stand that drew an immediate backlash from Trump, who threatened to back a primary opponent. Less than 24 hours later, Tillis announced he would not run for reelection.
North Carolina has consistently ranked among the nation’s most competitive states. In 2024, Trump won it by just over 3 points, continuing a streak of razor-thin margins. The Senate races have been no different: Tillis edged out Democrat Cal Cunningham by fewer than 2 points in 2020, while Ted Budd defeated Cheri Beasley by about 3 points in 2022.
With unaffiliated voters surpassing Democrats and Republicans in registration, the state remains one of the most politically balanced and pivotal battlegrounds.