NC Senate

Ted BuddR

Candidate for NC Senate

Incumbent

30SIGNAL

Ted Budd (Republican Party) is the incumbent U.S. Senator from North Carolina. The seat is next up for election in 2028.

Roy Cooper (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026. Cooper (Democratic Party) was the Governor of North Carolina. He assumed office on January 1, 2017. He left office on January 1, 2025. Cooper was term-limited and could not run again for governor. During his final year in the position,WRAL News'Debra Morgan and Will Doran said, "Cooper’s two terms as governor have been largely defined by the antagonistic relationship between him and the Republican-led General Assembly. He won the battle over Medicaid expansion but has seen plenty of losses, too, on issues like stricter abortion laws, looser gun laws and massive corporate tax cuts — key GOP priorities that Cooper and Democratic legislators failed to stop."Cooper said, "When I got elected, we were in the culture war battlefield of the bathroom bill and people were leaving North Carolina. Now we have record numbers of jobs. We've been first in business for two years in a row across the country. My warning to people is that we won't continue to be first in business if we become last in education." Cooper was born and raised in Nashville, North Carolina. Cooper received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1979 and went on to receive his law degree from the same school in 1982.Cooper joined his family's law firm out of college, and practiced for the next 18 years. Before becoming governor in 2017, Cooper served in a variety of elected roles in state government, beginning with the North Carolina House of Representativesin 1986.In 1991, then-governor Jim Martin (R) appointed Cooper to the North Carolina State Senate. Cooper was elected majority leader in 1997.In2000, Cooper ran for North Carolina Attorney General, defeating Dan Boyce (R) with 51.2% of the vote. He was re-elected four times. Cooper ran for governor in 2016, challenging incumbent Gov.Pat McCrory (R) in whatCook Political Reportanalyst Jennifer Duffy said was among the "most closely fought in the country."Cooper said, "The truth is Gov. McCrory has the wrong priorities for North Carolina, giving away the store for those at the top at the expense of the middle class and our schools.”House Bill 2 (HB 2), which required individuals in the state to use thebathroom that matched their sex, was an issue in the race. McCrory signed HB 2 on March 23, 2016, and opponents immediately sued the state. Cooper, as attorney general, said he would not defend the law: "Not only is this new law a national embarrassment, it will set North Carolina's economy back."As governor, Cooper signed a law repealing the bathroom portion of HB2 in March 2017. CooperdefeatedMcCrory 49.02%-48.8%, breaking the state'sRepublican trifectafor the first time since 2012. Libertarian candidateLon Vernon Cecilwon 2.2% of the vote. North Carolina was the only state in 2016 to vote fora Republican presidential candidateand a Democratic governor.

Michael Whatley (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026. Whatley (Republican Party) was the Republican Party Chair. He assumed office on March 8, 2024. He left office on August 22, 2025.

Thom TillisR

Candidate for NC Senate

48SIGNAL

Thom Tillis (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from North Carolina. He assumed office on January 3, 2015. His current term ends on January 3, 2027. Tillis (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He did not appear on the ballot for the Republican primary on March 3, 2026. On June 29, 2025, Tillis announced he would not be seeking re-election to the U.S. Senaterepresenting North Carolina in 2026.

Wiley Nickel (Democratic Party) is running for election for North Carolina 10th Prosecutorial District Attorney. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026. Nickel also ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026. Nickel (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing North Carolina's 13th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. He left office on January 3, 2025.

Don Brown (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.

Brian McGinnisG

Candidate for NC Senate

55SIGNAL

Brian McGinnis (Green Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He declared candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 3, 2026.

Michele Morrow (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She lost in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.

Thomas Johnson (Republican Party) (also known as TJ) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.

Marcus Williams (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.

Richard Dansie (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.

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Profile summary coming soon. Follow this candidate to track their Issues Ledger and get alerts.

Cheri Beasley (Democratic Party) was a judge of the North Carolina Supreme Court. She assumed office in 2012. She left office on December 31, 2020. Beasley (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022. Beasley first joined the North Carolina Supreme Court as an associate justice in 2012. She was appointed by Gov.Bev Perdue (D). On February 12, 2019, Gov.Roy Cooper (D) appointed Beasley to the office ofchief justiceto succeedMark Martin. Beasley assumed the position on March 1, 2019.To learn more about this appointment,click here. Prior to serving on the North Carolina Supreme Court, Beasley was a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals from 2008 to 2012 and a judge for the North Carolina 12th Judicial District from 1999 to 2008. She was the assistant public defender for the 12th Judicial District from 1994 to 1999. She received her J.D.from the University of Tennessee College of Law. When Beasley was elected to the North Carolina Court of Appealsin 2008, she became the first black woman to be elected to any statewide office in North Carolinawithout being first appointed by a governor.

Brooks Agnew (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He did not appear on the ballot for the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.

Everette Newton (also known as Rett) was the Mayor of Beaufort in North Carolina. He left office on December 6, 2021. Newton (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Democratic primary on May 17, 2022.

Daryl Farrow (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.

Orrick Quick (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.

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Profile summary coming soon. Follow this candidate to track their Issues Ledger and get alerts.

Robert Colon (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.

Justin Dues (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026. Dues also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 8th Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.

Lichia Sibhatu (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She lost in the Republican primary on May 17, 2022.

Shaunesi Yvette DeberryIND

Candidate for NC Senate

55SIGNAL

Shaunesi Deberry (independent) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She declared candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 3, 2026.

Shaunesi Yvette DeberryIND

Candidate for NC Senate

55SIGNAL

Shaunesi Deberry (independent) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She declared candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 3, 2026.

Shannon BrayL

Candidate for NC Senate

40SIGNAL

Shannon Bray (Libertarian Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. The Libertarian Party primary for this office on March 3, 2026, was canceled.

Margot Dupre (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She was disqualified from the Republican primary but appeared on the ballot on March 3, 2026.

Alyssia Hammond (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.