The key facts

  • Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley in the North Carolina Senate election
  • This is the Democrats' first Senate seat from the state since 2008
  • Democrats need a net gain of four seats for a majority; some races remain undecided

Cooper's Victory in North Carolina

In the US midterm congressional elections, Democrats took a Senate seat from Republicans in North Carolina: former state governor Roy Cooper defeated former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley, whose candidacy was backed by President Donald Trump. This was reported by the Associated Press, citing the Anadolu agency, as well as Life.ru. Cooper will take the seat of Republican Thom Tillis, who declined to run for another term. According to Life.ru, this is the Democratic Party's first Senate seat won in North Carolina since 2008; Cooper himself was previously elected governor twice and won four races for state attorney general.

What This Changes in the Senate Balance

Before the election, Republicans controlled 53 seats in the 100-seat Senate, Democrats held 45 seats, and two independent senators caucused with them (Life.ru puts the Democratic bloc at 47 seats counting the independents). To gain a majority, Democrats need a net gain of at least four seats, and the North Carolina victory narrows that gap. The final tally differs across reports: according to Anadolu, after Cooper's win Democrats had 43 seats, and slightly later 45; exactly how many seats the party will ultimately win remains uncertain, as several competitive races have not yet been decided.

Other Results and Cooper's Promises

Besides North Carolina, Democrats, according to Anadolu, held the Senate seats of incumbent senators: Mark Warner in Virginia (he, as Life.ru reports, won a fourth term, defeating retired US Army major general Bert Mizusawa), Jon Ossoff in Georgia, Cory Booker in New Jersey, Chris Coons in Delaware, Ed Markey in Massachusetts, and Jack Reed in Rhode Island, and, per a second report, also Ben Ray Luján in New Mexico and John Hickenlooper in Colorado. Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton won an open Senate seat, and Chris Pappas won in New Hampshire. Republicans held seats in Florida (Ashley Moody), West Virginia (Shelley Moore Capito), Wyoming (Harriet Hageman), and Kentucky (Andy Barr). In a message to supporters, Cooper promised to make healthcare, housing, and groceries 'more affordable,' and also, quoting Anadolu, to 'end the ongoing war in Iran and stop the pain at the gas pumps.'