Polls give former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper a lead over ex-Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley in North Carolina ’s 2026 race for the U.S. Senate . Cooper won the Democratic nomination in the Tar Heel State's primary election Tuesday, the Associated Press (AP) announced. Newsweek reached out to the Cooper and Whatley campaigns for comment via email. The race is a battleground for the 2026 midterm elections as Republicans try to retain control of Congress. North Carolina