From Governor to Senator: Roy Cooper Wins Again

Roy Cooper wins Senate seat, flipping North Carolina for Democrats. Cooper is the first Democratic Senator since 2008, breaking an 18-year Republican hold on North Carolina.  Source: CNN.

Former Governor Roy Cooper has just won North Carolina’s 2026 Senate Election, marking his 7th victory in an undefeated record of statewide races starting in 2000. Cooper won 58.67 percent of North Carolina’s midterm votes, and 2,462,440 of the 4,196,804 ballots cast this October and November. Cooper's victory continues a political career defined by his ability to win in a state that has consistently favored Republicans in presidential elections. Despite North Carolina voting for Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024, Cooper won gubernatorial elections in both 2016 and 2020.

Roy Cooper served as governor from 2017 to 2025 and previously served as attorney general. As mentioned, Cooper has never lost a statewide race since his initial election as the 50th Attorney General in 2000. His consistency with voters has extended into a contentious Senate election, reinforcing his position as a reliable indicator of Democratic electoral viability in an otherwise Republican-leaning state. Cooper is succeeding retiring Senator Thom Tillis, whose decision not to seek reelection created an open-seat contest and a major opportunity for Democrats. His win will give North Carolina its first Democratic U.S. senator elected in over a decade, and the first since Kay Hagan left office in 2015.

Cooper’s victory also proved essential to Democrats’ projected takeover of the Senate, with the party currently expected to secure a majority and regain control of the chamber. Beyond Washington, the result raises questions about the future of North Carolina politics. With seven consecutive statewide victories since 2000, Roy Cooper has demonstrated a remarkable ability to win over North Carolina voters, even as the state consistently favors Republicans in presidential elections.