Democrat Roy Cooper wins a North Carolina Senate seat

Key Points:

• Democrat Roy Cooper has won North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat, marking the first time a Democrat has been elected to the Senate from the state since 2008 and flipping a key Senate seat for the party.
• Cooper, a former governor, focused his campaign on affordability and economic issues, while his Republican opponent, Michael Whatley, emphasized crime and immigration, which polls showed were less of a concern for voters this cycle.
• Whatley, a first-time candidate and former Republican National Committee chair, was outspent significantly by Cooper and national Democratic groups; GOP organizations also pulled TV ads from North Carolina late in the race to focus on other battleground states.
• Despite visits from Trump and Vice President Vance to boost GOP turnout, Whatley never led in polls and was unable to close the gap, with Cooper's advantage growing as the election approached.
• Retiring GOP Senator Thom Tillis, who faced pressure from Trump and did not campaign for Whatley, has shifted focus to promoting his book criticizing fellow Republicans rather than supporting the party's Senate candidate.