# Fox News Projects Roy Cooper Flips North Carolina's Senate Seat, Defeating Trump Ally Michael Whatley in the Race to Replace Tillis

The Fox News Decision Desk projected the win for the former Democratic governor. Republican-aligned groups had pulled their spending a month ago. This is Fox's projection, not an Associated Press call.

- Section: [Politics](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/politics/)
- Published: 2026-11-03
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/cooper-flips-north-carolina-senate-seat-whatley-fox-news-decision-desk-projects-tillis-seat/

Fox News says former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will win North Carolina's open Senate seat, flipping it from Republican control.

The projection. The Fox News Decision Desk projected Cooper over Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chair and a close ally of President Trump. Fox says the win gives Democrats a seat as Cooper prepares to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. At the time of the projection, Fox's story gives Cooper 66.40% and Whatley 31.96%.

What Cooper said. He posted on X: "We have more in common than divides us. Here's to building better days ahead!" Fox says he ran on cost of living and health care, and told voters he would be a "strong, independent senator" who works with Trump when he can and stands up to him when needed.

The record. Fox says it was Cooper's seventh straight statewide win, after four races for attorney general and two for governor. It calls him the first Democrat to win a Senate election in North Carolina in nearly two decades.

The warning signs. According to Fox, top GOP-aligned outside groups stopped spending in the race about a month ago, which was read as a sign Republicans no longer saw a path. At a rally two weeks ago, Trump appeared to concede the point, telling the crowd Cooper is "going to become your senator."

Whatley. A North Carolina native and first-time candidate, he served as the state party chair for five years before Trump picked him to lead the RNC in March 2024. He pledged to create jobs, raise wages, lower costs and be a Trump ally in the Senate.

Our own board. This is a Fox News projection. RightNewsRightNow's Election Headquarters marks a race as called only when the Associated Press calls it, so check there for the official status.

What we could not check. We did not see vote totals from the state or the Associated Press. The percentages above are the figures in Fox's story at the time it was written and will change as counting continues.

## Source

Original reporting: [Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-flip-key-senate-seat-battleground-north-carolina-cooper-defeats-trump-backed-republican)