Roy Cooper, North Carolina's former governor, won the state's open Senate seat Tuesday, flipping it to Democrats and defeating Republican Michael Whatley, former chair of the Republican National Committee. Cooper becomes the first Democrat to win a Senate election in North Carolina since 2008. He won four previous statewide elections as attorney general and two as governor.
In Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff defeated Rep. Mike Collins with a commanding margin. Ossoff had entered the midterm cycle as Democrats' most vulnerable senator. He raised $136.6 million through Oct. 14, far outpacing Collins' $10.7 million. Ossoff enters his second term with a growing national profile built on critiques of President Donald Trump.
In New Hampshire, Rep. Chris Pappas won the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. He defeated Republican former Sen. John E. Sununu, denying Republicans what they viewed as one of their best pickup opportunities. Pappas becomes the first openly gay man elected to the Senate, though he did not emphasize this on the campaign trail.
Cooper's victory dealt a political blow to Trump, who was heavily invested in the race. Trump carried North Carolina in all three of his presidential races but visited twice since Labor Day to hold rallies for Whatley. Vice President JD Vance also campaigned for Whatley. A poll released Sunday by the Center for Survey Research at East Carolina University found 54 percent of voters disapproving of Trump's performance in North Carolina.
Cooper focused his campaign on an economic message with the slogan "Make Stuff Cost Less." He portrayed Whatley as a rubber stamp for the unpopular president and a former energy company lobbyist. At a campaign stop in Rocky Mount last month, Cooper said the Trump administration had promised cost of living would be a "Day One issue" but "have made it so much worse."
Democrats need a net gain of four seats to flip the Senate. Polls heading into Election Day showed the party competitive in several Senate races in traditionally Republican territory.