Primary
Democratic Primary
Held March 3, 2026.
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roy Cooper ✓ | 761,345 | 97.4% | |
| Marcus Williams | 20,336 | 2.6% |
Republican Primary
Held March 3, 2026.
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Whatley ✓ | 405,140 | 68.8% | |
| Don Brown | 97,891 | 16.6% | |
| Thomas Johnson | 35,534 | 6.0% | |
| Michele Morrow | 35,065 | 6.0% | |
| Margot Dupre | 14,886 | 2.5% |
Full calendar and every race: North Carolina primary guide
Race Overview
General Election Polling Trend
PollingSource average — trailing average of all polls from the last 30 days.
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General Election Polling Average
Average reflects all polls from the last 30 days; table shows the most recent 30 days or the newest 3 polls, whichever is more — subscribe for the full history. How accurate is each pollster? →
| Pollster | Date | Sample | MoE | Dem | Rep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Point University/YouGov | 2026-08-12 | 800 RV | ±4.20 | Roy Cooper 48.00% | Michael Whatley 41.00% |
| Carolina Journal/Harper | 2026-08-10 | 600 LV | ±4.00 | Cooper 52.00% | Whatley 39.00% |
| Carolina Forward/Change Res. | 2026-08-06 | 915 LV | ±3.50 | Cooper 50.00% | Whatley 43.00% |
Questions About This Race
Who is winning the 2026 North Carolina Senate race?
Roy Cooper leads Michael Whatley 50% to 41% in the PollingSource polling average — a D+9.0 margin based on 3 polls from the last 30 days.
Is the 2026 North Carolina Senate race competitive?
It is not considered a top-tier battleground: the PollingSource polling average rates it Likely D, meaning Democrats are clearly favored but an upset is not impossible. Note: our polling average (Likely D) diverges from the expert consensus (Lean R) — that gap makes this a race to watch.
What does the latest poll of the 2026 North Carolina Senate race say?
The most recent public poll, from High Point University/YouGov (completed August 12, 2026), found Roy Cooper (D) at 48% and Michael Whatley (R) at 41%.
When is the 2026 North Carolina Senate race decided?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
How is the PollingSource average calculated?
The PollingSource average is the unweighted mean of every scientific public poll of the race from the last 30 days — we do not exclude pollsters. Each race page lists the individual polls behind the average with pollster, field dates, sample size, and margin of error. Full details: pollingsource.com/methodology.
Race Notes
Tillis retiring
Independent Expenditures Updated just now
Top Spenders
- SLF PAC GOP-aligned $5,884,706
- AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY ACTION, INC. (AFP ACTION) DBA CVA ACTION AND DBA LIBRE ACTION GOP-aligned $1,764,655
- WORKERS VOTE Dem-aligned $166,249
- PROGRESSIVE TURNOUT PROJECT Dem-aligned $35,941
- FORWARD BLUE Dem-aligned $32,636
- THE CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DBA AMERICANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY GOP-aligned $22,199
- CATHOLICVOTE.ORG GOP-aligned $17,939
- MODSQUAD ACTION Dem-aligned $15,000
- DEFEND AMERICA POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE GOP-aligned $9,950
- RED SENATE GOP-aligned $9,400
Full outside-spending research — every committee, every race →