North Carolina Voters Narrow Down Senate, House Candidates in Primaries

Competitive races could decide control of closely divided U.S. Senate

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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North Carolina voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to narrow down the field of candidates in a competitive U.S. Senate race that could decide control of the closely divided chamber in November. The primaries will also feature contested races for U.S. House, state Senate and House, and the state Court of Appeals.

Why it matters

North Carolina is seen as one of the few opportunities for Democrats to flip a Republican-held Senate seat in an otherwise difficult electoral map. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate, and Democrats need a net pickup of four seats to win back control of the chamber.

The details

A dozen candidates - six Republicans and six Democrats - are running to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. The most prominent name in the Republican field is Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chair who has former President Donald Trump's backing. On the Democratic side, former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper faces five other candidates. Both Whatley and Cooper have far out-raised their primary competitors.

  • Polls close at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 5, 2026.
  • As of February 21, more than 416,000 Democratic primary ballots and nearly 295,000 Republican primary ballots had already been cast.

The players

Michael Whatley

The former Republican National Committee chair who has former President Donald Trump's backing in the Republican primary.

Roy Cooper

The former two-term Democratic governor of North Carolina who is facing five other candidates in the Democratic primary.

Thom Tillis

The retiring Republican U.S. senator whose seat is up for grabs in the 2026 election.

Nida Allam

The Durham County Commissioner who is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee in the 4th Congressional District primary.

Valerie Foushee

The Democratic U.S. representative for the 4th Congressional District who is facing a primary challenge from Nida Allam.

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What’s next

The winners of the primaries will face off in the November general election, which could decide control of the U.S. Senate.

The takeaway

North Carolina's primaries will be closely watched as they could play a pivotal role in determining the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. The competitive Senate race and redrawn congressional districts make this an important test for both parties ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.