Trump's hand-picked candidate falls after a campaign dominated by cost of putting food on the table and keeping lights on, delivering a bruising verdict.
Democrat Roy Cooper has won North Carolina's United States Senate race, according to media projections, defeating Trump-backed Republican Michael Whatley and delivering a critical pickup for Democrats in their fight for control of the chamber.
Cooper, a former two-term governor, defeated a hand-picked ally of President Donald Trump after campaigning extensively on the rising cost of food and energy.
The victory provides an indispensable gain for Democrats seeking to overturn the Republican majority in the 100-seat chamber.
Republicans entered Tuesday's elections holding a 53–47 edge, with Democrats requiring a net gain of four seats to seize control.
Flipping Tillis seat in battleground state
Cooper, 69, will replace retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who opted against seeking re-election following a public break with Trump over Medicaid cuts contained within the president's signature tax and spending legislation.
Armed with high statewide recognition from his eight years in the governor's mansion, Cooper established a substantial lead in polling, drawing strong backing from independent voters across the state.
Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) who has never held elected public office, campaigned closely alongside Trump throughout North Carolina.
Trump had endorsed Whatley in 2024 to succeed Ronna McDaniel at the helm of the party.
Working alongside the president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who served as co-chair, Whatley helped direct an RNC election integrity operation designed to mobilise 100,000 Republican volunteers and lawyers across key battleground states to observe polling procedures ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
TRT World & Agencies — TRT World & Agencies
Photo: Reuters
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