Former N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, holds a sizable lead over Republican Michael Whatley in three early polls of the 2026 U.S. Senate race.

Cooper and Whatley, chairman of the national Republican Party, are competing to win what may be the highest-profile race for the 35 U.S. Senate seats up for grabs next year.

Whatley became the clear front-runner for the Republican nomination after receiving the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

The president’s backing was vital to U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., when he emerged from a crowded GOP primary in 2022 that included former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory.

All three polls — conservative-leaning Carolina Journal and Victory Insights, and Emerson College — all point to Cooper’s statewide name recognition for his early advantage.

Carolina

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