Overview

• Roy Cooper formally entered the 2026 Senate race in North Carolina and raised $3.4 million in his first 24 hours, cementing his status as the Democratic frontrunner.
• President Trump endorsed Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley to challenge Cooper for the open seat vacated by Sen. Thom Tillis.
• Cooper is emphasizing his bipartisan record of expanding Medicaid to over 650,000 residents while warning that Trump’s proposed federal cuts would endanger health coverage.
• Privately concerned Republican strategists are preparing digital and social media attacks on Cooper’s disaster response and vetoes of conservative social policies.
• Both parties are pouring resources into the contest as control of the narrowly divided Senate hinges on the outcome in this pivotal battleground state.