North Carolina Voters to Narrow Senate Field in Pivotal Primary

Competitive race 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 the field of candidates in a competitive U.S. Senate race that could determine control of the closely divided chamber in November. The race features a dozen candidates - six Republicans and six Democrats - vying to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. The Republican field is led by Michael Whatley, the former GOP national committee chair who has former President Donald Trump's backing, while the Democratic primary features a rematch between former Gov. Roy Cooper and five other candidates.

Why it matters

North Carolina presents Democrats with one of their best opportunities to flip a Republican-held Senate seat in an otherwise difficult electoral map for the party. 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

The Republican primary features six candidates, led by Michael Whatley, the former GOP national committee chair who has former President Donald Trump's endorsement. Also running are author and attorney Don Brown and conservative activist Michele Morrow, both of whom ran for other offices in 2024. 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 Saturday, 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 GOP 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.

Don Brown

An author and attorney running in the Republican primary.

Michele Morrow

A conservative activist running in the Republican primary.

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What’s next

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

The takeaway

The North Carolina Senate primary is a pivotal race that could have major implications for the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Voters will play a key role in narrowing the field of candidates and setting the stage for a high-stakes general election showdown.