Democrat Roy Cooper has won North Carolina’s United States Senate race, a gain for his party as it seeks to regain control of the chamber.
Cooper, a centrist who served two terms as governor, is the first Democrat elected to one of the state’s two Senate seats since 2008, when Barack Obama won the state in his first presidential campaign.
Cooper’s lead and North Carolina’s voting record
Cooper replaces outgoing Republican senator Thom Tillis, who chose not to seek a third term after becoming a frequent critic of President Donald Trump. Cooper consistently led his Republican opponent, former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley, which led Republicans to pull funding from Whatley’s campaign.
The win is notable in a state that has narrowly voted for Trump three times since 2016.
