Summary
Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is currently leading in polls for the 2026 Senate race against two Republican candidates, Michael Whatley and Don Brown. The Democrats aim to increase their seats in the Senate during the upcoming midterm elections. A new poll shows Cooper ahead by a significant margin in North Carolina, although some polls show a narrower lead.
Key Facts
- Roy Cooper, a Democrat, leads in polls for the 2026 North Carolina Senate race.
- Cooper is ahead of Republican candidates Michael Whatley and Don Brown in recent surveys.
- Democrats need to win several Republican-held seats to gain Senate control.
- North Carolina voters often split their votes between different parties for national and state offices.
- A recent Harper Polling survey showed Cooper with a 47% to 38.6% lead over Whatley.
- Cooper raised $14.5 million in the third quarter of 2025 for his campaign.
- President Trump and Democratic Governor Josh Stein have approval ratings of 45.7% and 49.5%, respectively, in the same poll.
- Aggregate poll data shows Cooper's lead is narrower, with a 3.4 percentage point advantage over Whatley.
