Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley are set to face off in a crucial Senate race in North Carolina. The race will be central to the Republican Party's defense of their 53-47 majority in the Senate, a crucial race for Democrats who need to win four seats to take control of the chamber. Democrats are confident in Cooper's ability to run after winning races for governor in 2016 and 2020. Whatley, who tied himself to President Donald Trump in the early stages of the race, launched an ad against Cooper, tying him to a fatal stabbing last year on a train. The ad also criticizes Cooper's support for a "woke agenda of cashless bail" without a source for that claim.