Cooper Claims North Carolina Senate Seat
The former governor defeats Trump's handpicked candidate in a race created by the president's pressure on an incumbent.
By Alexei Brooks ·
Four statewide victories defined the political career of Roy Cooper before he won the North Carolina Senate seat on election night. The former governor secured the open position that Donald Trump effectively created by forcing incumbent Thom Tillis into retirement.
Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, a candidate selected directly by the president. Trump had previously installed Whatley as chair of the Republican National Committee. The decision to recruit Whatley came after Tillis announced he would not seek reelection. This move bypassed the standard primary process that would have allowed state Republicans to choose their own nominee.
The conflict between Trump and Tillis escalated over the last two years. Tillis voted to confirm Todd Blanche, Trump’s personal criminal defense lawyer, as attorney general. Despite this alignment, Trump continued to criticize Tillis for lacking loyalty. The president threatened to force a primary challenge, a tactic he used to signal dissatisfaction with the senator.
Whatley expressed enthusiasm for the assignment during his 2025 announcement. He stated, “I’m absolutely thrilled that President Trump has asked me to run in this race.” The candidate acknowledged the role was a request from the president rather than a spontaneous decision to enter politics.
Cooper maintained a polling lead from the beginning of the campaign. Democrats viewed this race as the most attainable target in their effort to shift control of the Senate. The party aims to flip four seats total to take charge of the chamber for the final two years of Trump’s term.
Andrew Bates, a Democratic consultant and North Carolina native, suggested the outcome might have differed without the public feud. Bates noted that Tillis would have remained tied to unpopular policies. He argued that a closer relationship with the administration would have been a liability for the incumbent.
It remains unclear if Republicans would have held the seat had Trump left Tillis alone. Most presidents have historically allowed their own party members in Congress to maintain their positions despite disagreements. The victory marks a key milestone for Democrats in their push to retake the Senate.
