RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) 鈥� Former Democratic and ex-Republican National Committee Chairman each won their party鈥檚 U.S. Senate nominations in North Carolina on Tuesday, setting them up for a fall campaign that could determine control of Congress’ upper chamber.
Whatley and Cooper are seeking the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who chose last June not to seek a third term. The two announced their campaigns weeks later and easily won their respective over crowded fields.
Cooper鈥檚 candidacy brought optimism to Democrats this year with a net gain of four seats. Whatley, who is also a former state Republican chairman, entered the race when President Donald Trump endorsed him after Lara Trump, the president鈥檚 daughter-in-law, declined to run.
North Carolina, a traditional battleground where Democrats have been able to even as voters helped to the White House, was one of three states kicking off this year鈥檚 midterm elections, along with Texas and Arkansas. Tuesday鈥檚 slate of primaries came against the backdrop of the U.S. and Israel attack on Iran, which began over the weekend.
What鈥檚 at stake
North Carolina鈥檚 election this year could be crucial for determining which party controls the U.S. Senate, where Republicans currently have the majority. The seat is open because after clashing with Trump and the president threatened to support a primary challenger. Political experts say a typhoon of outside money could make the race the most expensive Senate campaigns in U.S. history, perhaps reaching $1 billion.
Many Democrats see Cooper, who served two terms as governor and has been successful in state politics for decades, as the party鈥檚 best shot at victory. Democrats think their most likely path to regaining the Senate majority includes winning in North Carolina, Maine, Alaska and Ohio.
Whatley promises to keep pushing Trump鈥檚 agenda if elected, one that he says has cut taxes and spending and restored U.S. military might.
鈥淗is leadership has changed our country, and I am proud to stand with him in the fight to secure our border, to strengthen our economy and put America first,鈥� Whatley said while giving his nomination acceptance speech in Charlotte.
Moments later in his own speech in Raleigh, Cooper said inflation, tariffs and threats of health care cuts attributed to Republican policies are hurting North Carolina residents.
鈥淭hese are not ordinary times. Everyday people are being left behind,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淎nd we see the chaos that鈥檚 coming out of Washington only making it worse.鈥�
Voters weigh in
Some primary voters say Congress needs Democratic control as a counterweight to Trump and what they consider disastrous policies.
鈥淚 just think we鈥檙e not headed in the right direction as a country, so I needed to express that opinion,鈥� said Shailendra Prakash, 65, of Raleigh, an unaffiliated voter who chose to vote in the Democratic primary on Tuesday and picked Cooper. 鈥淢y hope is that it needs to flip.鈥�
Republican voter Lisa Weaver, 64, of Apex, said she was picking Whatley because as the former RNC chairman, 鈥渉e鈥檚 in tune with the issues that we care most about鈥� and would assist the president.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not that I love everything that Trump does, but I do believe in the framework that he is offering for our country,鈥� Weaver said.
Cooper and Whatley already campaigning against each other
A Democrat hasn鈥檛 won a Senate race in Meanwhile, Cooper, 68, hasn鈥檛 lost a North Carolina election going back to first running for the state House in the mid-1980s, leading to 16 years as attorney general and eight as governor through 2024.
Whatley, 57, previously worked in President George W. Bush鈥檚 administration, for then-North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole and as an energy lobbyist.
Whatley, Trump and other Republicans have blistered Cooper on criminal justice matters, accusing him of promoting soft-on-crime policies while governor. They鈥檝e repeatedly highlighted last August鈥檚 fatal stabbing of on a Charlotte light-rail train. Trump identified Zarutska鈥檚 mother in attendance at last week鈥檚 State of the Union address.
The fall election will be 鈥渁 choice between a conservative champion for North Carolina, who will be an ally for President Trump in the Senate, or a champion for the failed policies of the left,鈥� Whatley said Tuesday night.
Cooper told reporters recently that his career has been about 鈥減rosecuting violent criminals and keeping thousands of them behind bars.鈥�
In turn, Cooper and his allies have centered campaign attacks on Whatley鈥檚 allegiance to the president, with Cooper calling Whatley an “out-of-touch D.C. insider.鈥�
Repeating recent comments, Cooper said Tuesday night that if elected he would be a 鈥渟trong, independent senator who will work with this president when I can and stand up to him when the people need me to.鈥�
Buckhout heads to US House rematch with Davis
Primary elections were also held Tuesday in all but one of North Carolina鈥檚 U.S. House districts.
In the northeastern 1st Congressional District, Laurie Buckhout defeated four other candidates competing for the GOP nomination and will face Democratic Rep. Don Davis in a rematch of their 2024 general election that Davis won by less than 2 percentage points.
Since then, the Republican-controlled General Assembly altered the district as part of Trump鈥檚 multistate ahead of the 2026 elections to retain the House. A now more right-leaning 1st District covers all or parts of 25 counties.
Republicans currently hold 10 of the state鈥檚 14 U.S. House districts.
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Associated Press journalists Erik Verduzco in Charlotte and Allen G. Breed in Raleigh contributed to this report.
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