Cooper, Whatley throw names in ring as NC candidate filing for 2026 elections opens

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Candidate filing for the 2026 elections is open in North Carolina ahead of the March 3 primaries.

"I'm excited this morning to file for the United States Senate because I want to restore the opportunity that many people feel like they've lost to achieve the American dream. We know that so many families right now are struggling with paying higher rent, utility bills, child care, health care costs. I want to go to Washington to help lower prices for them, try to push back on these tariffs that everyday people are paying," said former Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat who submitted his paperwork Wednesday morning.

Cooper started his political career in 1987, serving in the State House and State Senate, before serving four terms as attorney general and two terms as governor.

"I think that Washington is broken right now, and there are too many people in their partisan corners who don't know how to work to achieve consensus and compromise," Cooper said. "I spent my eight years as governor with eight years of a Republican legislature, yet we still were able to work together to make North Carolina the best state for business three out of the last four years. We were able to work together to help create 625,000 new, better-paying jobs. We were able to work together to make North Carolina an epicenter of clean energy. We were able to work together to expand Medicaid."

He has never lost a political race, and is widely viewed by political analysts as Democrats' best chances of reversing their fortunes in the state.

"We need more balance in Washington. We need to make sure that the checks and balances system works. So I'm excited about going to Washington and being able to represent the people of North Carolina and actually work on the problems that are affecting their everyday life," said Cooper.

The last time the party won a Senate race in North Carolina was 2008, when Kay Hagan defeated incumbent Elizabeth Dole.

"Republicans have been able to control the Senate and the presidential race for a number of election cycles. This is probably their best opportunity with an open seat, with an unpopular president and with someone who's an institution in the state running at the top of the ticket," said Dr. David McLennan, a political science professor at Meredith College.

On Tuesday, Michael Whatley, considered the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, submitted his paperwork for the Senate.

"It's exciting. It's a great opportunity for us to go ahead and launch this campaign formally, to be able to get out there to every part of North Carolina, talk to every community, every family about what's really important in this election cycle, which is creating jobs, raising wages, lowering prices, and keeping our community safe," said Whatley.

Whatley has never run for public office, but previously served in the Department of Energy during the George W. Bush administration. Later, he held the role of Chairman for the NCGOP and GOP, experience he said he believes will help shape his campaign strategy.

"As a state party chair, we made it a point to get to all 100 counties every year. We were talking to every community. We're getting out there to every family. That's what it's going to take to be able to win this race as well," said Whatley.

Whatley has earned the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

"When you think about what President Trump ran on last cycle, it was really about rebuilding our economy. It was about making sure that, that our borders are going to be secure. It's making sure that we're respected again around the world. Those are all issue sets that really matter here in North Carolina," Whatley said. "Obviously, he is very, very supportive and asked me to consider getting into the race, and I'm grateful for his support because I think that his vision for an America First policy agenda really, truly fits here with North Carolina. That's the issue sets that we're going to be focused on."

McLennan said he believes North Carolina's race will be key in determining which party holds control of the US Senate.

"If (Democrats) don't win North Carolina, it's hard to see a pathway for them to control the Senate. They've got a number of seats up that are in strong Republican states. This is a close state, 3.2% (difference) in 2024 between Harris and Trump," said McLennan.

Challengers in the respective primaries include Republicans Don Brown and Elizabeth Temple, and Democrats Orrick Quick and Justin Dues. McLennan, who also serves as Director of the Meredith Poll, said it will likely be months before polling will provide valuable insight into the race.

"Probably late spring, early summer, when the general election campaign is really going, when money is coming into both campaigns, when they're out there on the campaign trail, that's when you start to get a realistic view of where the campaign's going," said McLennan.

Candidate filing is open until noon on Dec. 19.