Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper was elected to run as the Democratic candidate for an open U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina in 2026. The winner will replace Senator Thom Thillis, who was not running for reelection this year. Cooper was the most dominant figure in the Democratic field, while former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley was the leading Republican candidate. The primary election results were delayed by one hour due to a minor issue at one precinct.