Overview

• Former Rep. Wiley Nickel formally suspended his Senate bid on July 29 and endorsed Roy Cooper, clearing the Democratic field.
• Roy Cooper becomes the undisputed Democratic front-runner, leveraging his statewide name recognition from two terms as governor and 16 years as attorney general.
• RNC Chair Michael Whatley has secured President Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” and is expected to formally launch his campaign in the coming days.
• Senate Republicans have launched digital ad offensives targeting Cooper through groups such as the Senate Leadership Fund.
• Control of the U.S. Senate, currently held by Republicans 53–47, could hinge on the outcome in North Carolina, which is rated a toss-up in 2026.