Democratic
Roy Cooper
Major-party general-election nominee.
← all Senate races
North Carolina U.S. Senate election, 2026
Roy Cooper vs. Michael Whatley. Incumbent retiring.
VotePredictor forecast
Roy Cooper favored
Lean D · predicted margin D+7.4
77%
chance to win
Poll-driven model · 18 matched polls. Full forecast history and methodology →
Republican
Michael Whatley
Major-party general-election nominee.
Other listed candidates
- Shannon Bray · Libertarian
Polls
| Pollster | Date | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Change Research | 2026-08-01 | D+9.0 |
| Beacon Research/Shaw & Co. Research | 2026-07-27 | D+9.0 |
| Public Policy Polling | 2026-07-11 | D+4.0 |
| The New York Times/Siena University | 2026-06-27 | D+7.0 |
| YouGov | 2026-06-10 | D+14.0 |
| Harper Polling | 2026-05-11 | D+11.1 |
| Change Research | 2026-05-08 | D+7.0 |
| Opinion Diagnostics | 2026-04-24 | D+9.0 |
| High Point University / YouGov | 2026-04-06 | D+8.0 |
| High Point University Survey Research Center/YouGov | 2026-04-06 | D+8.0 |
| Quantus Insights | 2026-04-01 | D+5.0 |
| Harper Polling | 2026-03-23 | D+7.8 |
| YouGov | 2026-03-18 | D+14.0 |
| Public Policy Polling | 2026-03-14 | D+3.0 |
| Nexus Strategies/Strategic Partners Solutions | 2026-03-09 | D+18.0 |
| Change Research | 2026-02-04 | D+10.0 |
| TIPP Insights | 2026-01-15 | D+24.0 |
| Change Research | 2026-01-07 | D+5.0 |
Other forecasts
Cook
Lean D (flip)
IE
Tilt D (flip)
Sabato
Lean D (flip)
WH
Likely D (flip)
Econ
Likely D (flip)
RCP
Lean D (flip)
DDHQ
Likely D (flip)
Fox
Lean D (flip)
VoteHub
Likely D (flip)
FPO
Likely D (flip)
ST
Likely D (flip)
Published ratings are categorical, not probabilities, and remain independent of VotePredictor. Sources and update dates ↗
Candidate news
Democrat Roy Cooper Lied About Why He Released 4,200 Criminals from Prison
Democrat Senate candidate and former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is shifting blame over the reason he released 4,200 convicted criminals from prison during the COVID pandemic. The post Democrat Roy Cooper Lied About Why He Released 4,200 Criminals from Pr…
Breitbart News · August 6, 2026
Democrat Roy Cooper’s Billion-Dollar Electric Vehicle Deal Crumbles
An unproven Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer’s billion-dollar deal championed by then-Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) has crumbled in central North Carolina. The post Democrat Roy Cooper’s Billion-Dollar Electric Vehicle Deal Crumbles appeared first on Breitba…
Breitbart News · August 4, 2026
Republicans Handed Worrisome Signs in New North Carolina Senate Poll
A new North Carolina Senate poll from Fox News has delivered fresh warning signs for Republicans, showing former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper with a healthy advantage over Republican Michael Whatley in one of the nation's most closely watched races for the …
Biztoc.com · July 30, 2026
Fox News Poll: Democratic enthusiasm shapes North Carolina Senate race
Roy Cooper leads Michael Whatley by 9 points in North Carolina's Senate race, but an enthusiasm gap and Trump's favorability could reshape the contest.
Fox News · July 29, 2026
Transcript: How Trump Wrecked 3 Traditional GOP Strengths All at Once
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the July 27 episode of the Daily Blast podcast. Listen to it here.Greg Sargent: This is The Daily Blast from The New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR Network. I’m your host, Greg Sargent.With the midt…
The New Republic · July 27, 2026
Trump, 80, Proudly Misspells “Dumb” in the Middle of a Speech
Donald Trump can’t seem to get even the most basic facts straight.The 80-year-old president raised some eyebrows during a speaking engagement at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas Wednesday when he verbally misspelled a four-letter word. “Nobody knows that ‘dum…
The New Republic · August 6, 2026
ChatGPT’s Daring Escape Forces Dems to Pick a Path on AI Legislation
Editor’s Note: Welcome to The TNR Blue Book. It’s our new daily newsletter that covers Congress and much more, but with a distinctly TNR twist: Our focus will be strictly on Democrats, liberal and progressive groups, and the fight to take back power and save …
The New Republic · July 24, 2026
Republicans Admit Trump’s Election Fraud Obsession Could Screw Them
Republican lawmakers are moving on from Donald Trump’s election conspiracy.The president spent more than 25 minutes last week addressing the public—and his supposed congressional allies—to revive his 2020 election fraud claims. He demanded that Republicans pr…
The New Republic · July 20, 2026