# Democrat Roy Cooper flips North Carolina Senate seat

> Roy Cooper wins North Carolina's Senate race, defeating Republican Michael Whatley and becoming the state's first Democratic senator since 2008.
- Title: Democrat Roy Cooper flips North Carolina Senate seat
- Summary: Roy Cooper wins North Carolina's Senate race, defeating Republican Michael Whatley and becoming the state's first Democratic senator since 2008.
- Keywords: roy cooper, north carolina, senate race, michael whatley, thom tillis, democratic party, republican party, midterm election, us congress, BBC News
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmn5vndlgdgdo
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: roy cooper, north carolina, senate race, michael whatley, thom tillis, democratic party, republican party, midterm election, us congress, news, world
## Cooper defeats Whatley in North Carolina
Democrat Roy Cooper is projected to win North Carolina's Senate race, beating Republican Michael Whatley, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee.
## First Democratic senator since 2008
It is the first time North Carolina will have elected a Democratic senator since two thousand eight, a major win for Democrats campaigning to control Congress.
## Cooper's message to supporters
Cooper told supporters in Raleigh that the middle class felt like a distant dream while the richest Americans gained unimaginable wealth. He vowed to take that message to Washington.

> For too many people in North Carolina, the middle class was feeling like a distant dream.
## Tillis retired after Trump conflict
Outgoing Senator Thom Tillis announced his retirement last year after falling out with President Donald Trump over voting against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
## Key takeaway

Democrat Roy Cooper won North Carolina's Senate race on November fourth, twenty twenty-six, flipping the seat from Republican control for the first time since two thousand eight.