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Michael Whatley, Roy Cooper win North Carolina Senate primaries for November election

Whatley won the Republican primary and criticized Cooper over vetoes of state immigration-enforcement bills.

Michael Whatley, Roy Cooper win North Carolina Senate primaries for November election
Image · Fox News

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Outlet credibilityFox News69/100 MEDIUM
This article1 analysis · Oct 9, 2026
Fox News
Mar 3, 2026
tl;dr

Michael Whatley and Roy Cooper won their parties’ North Carolina Senate primaries, setting up a general-election contest for retiring Sen. Thom Tillis’s seat. The article highlights their dispute over Cooper’s past vetoes of legislation requiring local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Whatley in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Whatley’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

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Republican nominee for the North Carolina Senate seat

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Roy Cooper
D · NC

Democratic nominee for the North Carolina Senate seat

Cooper's version of this story ↗
Mark Harris
R · NC-8

North Carolina representative whom Brown previously challenged

Democratic primary candidate and pastor

John James
R · MI-10

Former North Carolina senator and vice-presidential candidate mentioned in historical context

Democratic primary candidate

Republican primary candidate and former Wake County school board candidate

Thom Tillis
R · NC · SEN

Retiring North Carolina senator whose seat is being contested

Democratic primary candidate

Don Brown
R · NC

Republican primary candidate and retired Navy JAG officer

ALSO MENTIONED  Bob Dole, Former presidential nominee mentioned as Elizabeth Dole’s husband; Destin Hall, North Carolina House speaker who sponsored a state bill Cooper vetoed; Elizabeth Dole, Former North Carolina senator mentioned in historical context; Gregory Bovino, Border Patrol commander mentioned in connection with immigration operations; Kay Hagan, Former North Carolina senator mentioned in historical context

Part of a bigger story

16 OUTLETS
Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley Win North Carolina Senate Party Nominations

Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley are set to face each other in November for North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat after their party primaries. Center outlets frame the matchup as a high-stakes November contest, focusing on the candidates’ campaigns and the stakes of the race.

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