United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2026

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← 2022
U.S. Senate, North Carolina
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 19, 2025
Primary: March 3, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voting in North Carolina
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Toss-up Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
U.S. Senate, North Carolina U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th North Carolina elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 Alabama U.S. Senate raceAlaska U.S. Senate raceArkansas U.S. Senate raceColorado U.S. Senate raceDelaware U.S. Senate raceGeorgia U.S. Senate raceIdaho U.S. Senate raceIllinois U.S. Senate raceIowa U.S. Senate raceKansas U.S. Senate raceKentucky U.S. Senate raceLouisiana U.S. Senate raceMaine U.S. Senate raceMassachusetts U.S. Senate raceMichigan U.S. Senate raceMinnesota U.S. Senate raceMississippi U.S. Senate raceMontana U.S. Senate raceNebraska U.S. Senate raceNew Hampshire U.S. Senate raceNew Jersey U.S. Senate raceNew Mexico U.S. Senate raceNorth Carolina U.S. Senate raceOklahoma U.S. Senate raceOregon U.S. Senate raceRhode Island U.S. Senate raceSouth Carolina U.S. Senate raceSouth Dakota U.S. Senate raceTennessee U.S. Senate raceTexas U.S. Senate raceVirginia U.S. Senate raceWest Virginia U.S. Senate raceWyoming U.S. Senate raceSubmit

Voters in North Carolina will elect one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. Incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who first assumed office in 2015, announced that he would not seek re-election in 2026.

According to The Cook Political Report's Amy Taylor, Tillis' retirement makes the seat a "top pickup opportunity" for Democrats in the 2026 election cycle. Taylor also wrote, "The vulnerability of this seat, however, does not alter the overall Senate math for 2026. Even if Democrats were to win here in 2026, they'd still need to flip three more seats, including at least two in deep red states, in order to win a bare majority."

North Carolina State University's Steven Greene said, "Tillis is widely disliked by a number of Republicans who maybe wouldn't turn out to vote for him. And it's possible that the Republicans are able to come together more unified behind a fresh face."

As of Oct. 21, 2025, noteworthy declared and potential candidates included the following. Click here to view all of the candidates for the seat.

• Roy Cooper (D), who served as governor of North Carolina from 2017 to 2025 (Declared)
• Michael Whatley (R), who served as chair of the RNC from March 2024 to August 2025 (Declared)

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson (D) and U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.) gained media attention as possible Democratic candidates but have all said they will not run for the seat. U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), former North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), and former Republican National Committee (RNC) co-chair Lara Trump gained media attention as possible Republican candidates but have all said they will not run for the seat.

North Carolina’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives includes four Democrats and 10 Republicans. The state’s two U.S. Senators—Tillis and Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.)—are Republicans. The state's most recent Democratic senator was Kay Hagan (D), who served from 2009 to 2015.

In the six presidential elections from 2004 to 2024, Republican presidential candidates won the state with the exception of the 2008 election. In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won 50% of the vote to Joe Biden’s (D) 49%. In 2024, Trump won 51% of the vote to Kamala Harris’ (D) 48%.

North Carolina has a divided government where neither party holds a trifecta. Democrats control the governorship, while Republicans control both legislative chambers. North Carolina’s last Republican governor was Pat McCrory (R), who served from 2013 to 2017.

As of Oct. 21, 2025, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales, and Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball each rated the general election Toss-up. Click here for more information on race forecasts.

To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

• Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
• Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Roy Cooper, Orrick Quick, Don Brown, Michael Whatley, and Shaunesi Deberry are running in the general election for U.S. Senate North Carolina on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Roy Cooper (D)
	Submit photo	Orrick Quick (D)
		Don Brown (R)
	Submit photo	Michael Whatley (R)
		Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Wiley Nickel (D)
• Brooks Agnew (R)
• Andy Nilsson (R)
• Thom Tillis (R)

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Shaunesi Deberry

Party: Unaffiliated Independent

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Born and raised in Durham North Carolina, I’ve been blessed to live and travel global. Upon my return to the United States after living in Antalya Turkey, I gained a new found respect for America. I graduate in 2002 from Hillside High School, after on and off again attendance of both HBCU’s and PWI’s I gained my Bachelor of Science in Management in 2024 with a focus on organizational behavior. I’m the mother of two daughters of which both I homescooled. Professionally I have over 15 years of experience in telecommunications, wireless, non- profit management, human/education rights advocacy, organizational leadership and strategic digital solutions ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies. I’ve sat on boards ranging from local to National PTA as well as the NAACP. I’ve testified and advocated by Amicus Brief and oral testimony in MD and NC general assembly’s and Court of Appeals litigation and most recently I represented myself pro se’ and secured a partial acquittal in a criminal case in Anne Arundel County. I’ve successfully won an appeal pro se’ in the MD Office of Administrative Hearings. In high school I was one of the first students to take an online course over twenty four years ago and that sparked my interest in computers and navigating the forthcoming digital era. I believe that this interest is what took me to new heights in my adult journey to help others adapt to the “new world” of digital navigation and social media in government and politics."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Mental Wellness Matters: Stigmas surrounding mental “illness” creates instant civil rights violations when ignorantly or incompetently addressed. As a mental wellness advocate who openly advocates for person’s with hidden disabilities I plan to bring federal ADA compliant expertise to assuring we redefine what mental “illness” is and more importantly how to assure citizens are able to maintain their mental wellness with effective resources for such.

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Self Sustainability is Possible: Between both school, work, and family I bring expertise on navigating through adversity and the highs and lows of implementing effective real life strategies to sustain whether a single individual or in a two person household with children. This expertise will help Americans access to state and federal resources to assure they aren’t hindered by their temporary adversities and can effectively maintain or revamp their lives as needed.

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Business Solutions exist for all: I’ve been a small business owner/entrepreneur off and on for years. American’s need to know trades matter. I bring expertise in ensuring whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or individual it is possible to get started and excel in a business that can grow both your dreams and the economy. Most people aren’t aware of the resources for such. Together we can change this.

Voting information

See also: Voting in North Carolina

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Mental Wellness Matters: Stigmas surrounding mental “illness” creates instant civil rights violations when ignorantly or incompetently addressed. As a mental wellness advocate who openly advocates for person’s with hidden disabilities I plan to bring federal ADA compliant expertise to assuring we redefine what mental “illness” is and more importantly how to assure citizens are able to maintain their mental wellness with effective resources for such.

Self Sustainability is Possible: Between both school, work, and family I bring expertise on navigating through adversity and the highs and lows of implementing effective real life strategies to sustain whether a single individual or in a two person household with children. This expertise will help Americans access to state and federal resources to assure they aren’t hindered by their temporary adversities and can effectively maintain or revamp their lives as needed.

Business Solutions exist for all: I’ve been a small business owner/entrepreneur off and on for years. American’s need to know trades matter. I bring expertise in ensuring whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or individual it is possible to get started and excel in a business that can grow both your dreams and the economy. Most people aren’t aware of the resources for such. Together we can change this.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

-Mental Health

-Environmental Regulations -Workplace Safety -Education Funding -Social Security and Welfare -Immigration

-Judicial Nominations

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

I don't look up to people. No one is perfect. I do however commend both President Trump and Elon Musk for the confidence and fortitude they've had individually to see the pain points in our country and act fast on effective solutions.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

The Bible. Although re-written multiple times, you can always reference the stories to situations in politics that can include greed, growth, lessons, and rebuilding.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Transparency, Fortitude, Competence, and Experience. We've seen too many "perfectly polished" elected officials. They have all the titles and accolades but nothing about them represents everyday people. Their bios are bland with elite organizations and networks but nothing says " I've gotten that eviction notice", "I have a mugshot", "I know exactly how it feels to experience aftermath of decisions of non relatable elected officials".

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Emotional intelligence and emotional maturity.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

While the ability to impeach stands out to me the most, this position at its core focuses on lawmaking and assuring our president is accountable and in compliance for the people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

If you have a pulse and internet access, you can do anything, literally.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

The OJ Simpson trial. I was about 11 at the time. It showed me that wealth does not equate to perfection nor keep you from the criminal justice system.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

My first job was a volunteer candy striper at Duke Hospital. I had it for the summer. Most amazing experience gaining wisdom from the residents.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

A Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. This is my favorite book because it motivates you to become self aware and change your perspective in situations that others would deem negative.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Ferris Bueller. Sometimes you need to disconnect and just go for an adventure.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Happy by Pharrell.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Getting others to respect boundaries I've set.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Transitioning the public into the digital era.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

I'm having a complex time understanding why term limits never existed for most. This is imperative to assure the leadership is able to adapt to the current residents and citizens it serves. Also, that the officials are able to relate be it age, cultural, education, etc. It's clear we needed term limits years ago and now more than ever.

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

The ability to revamp outdated laws, establish new laws, conform key appointments and other things that will help aid states in streamlining efficiency and also the ability to look into impeachment when things aren't appearing to align with our core mission.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for senators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Absolutely not. I believe senators need to have real life experience. I'd want to see my senators previous EBT Card. I want to see how they've navigated a divorce with small children. I'd want to see how they handled their business failing. We need senators who can show you how they've achieved anything they are campaigning to assure you can benefit from. Most previous experience in government or politics only shows a one sided view which essentially can end up being false advertisement.

What do you think of the filibuster?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

For the most part the filibuster is to stall things. We should have a sense of urgency especially in the current state of America and politics. While I'm open to it, the reasoning would have to have some serious logic.

Is there a particular senator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

John F. Kennedy Jr.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta!

How would you evaluate a judicial nominee?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Demand that previous members of the public who've had personal experience with the nominee speak on their character, temperament, and ability to remain impartial.

What kind of relationships would you build with other senators?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Quality relationships. This position isn't to make friends, it's to make solutions. Results driven and solutions based relationships that assure success for all.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

For sure. Everyone won't always agree. However because of the sense of urgency needed to assure we streamline relief to citizens that don't infringe on their right to the pursuit of happiness we must compromise here and there to move forward.

How should the U.S. Senate use its investigative powers?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Allow more resources to feedback from the public.

What criteria would you apply when deciding whether to confirm presidential appointees to their Cabinet?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

Titles and accolades are cute, but I need to see their emotional intelligence, personal development, how they navigate adversity, how they handle conflict resolution. Anybody can have a title, we are serving others and your undergrad college, organization affiliation, or net worth don't tell the public enough about your character. I'd need more details.

What committees interest you?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

All of them

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)

If we have to be transparent and accountable about our dollars, the government has to be as well. Line for line, penny for penny.

You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:

• Don Brown
• Roy Cooper

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Roy Cooper	Democratic Party	$10,924,824	$2,366,369	$8,558,455	As of September 30, 2025
Orrick Quick	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Don Brown	Republican Party	$114,296	$70,326	$44,811	As of September 30, 2025
Michael Whatley	Republican Party	$1,380,875	$253,977	$1,126,898	As of September 30, 2025
Shaunesi Deberry	Unaffiliated Independent	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, 2026
Race tracker	Race ratings
	10/21/2025	10/14/2025	10/7/2025	9/30/2025
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill	Pending	Pending	Pending	Pending
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Ballot access

This section will contain information on ballot access related to this state's elections when it is available.

Election history

The section below details election results for this state's U.S. Senate elections dating back to 2016.

2022

See also: United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Ted Budd defeated Cheri Beasley, Shannon Bray, Matthew Hoh, and Michelle Lewis in the general election for U.S. Senate North Carolina on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ted Budd (R)	50.5	1,905,786
		Cheri Beasley (D)	47.3	1,784,049
		Shannon Bray (L)	1.4	51,640
		Matthew Hoh (G)	0.8	29,934
		Michelle Lewis (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	137
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	2,378

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,773,924
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Michele Parks (Independent)
• Marc White (Independent)
• Charles Roberson (Independent)
• Susan Gaddy (Independent)
• Brenda Rodriguez (Independent)
• Hayden Boyette (Independent)
• Barry Caulder (Independent)
• Kimrey Rhinehardt (Independent)
• Adrien Meadows (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cheri Beasley	81.1	501,766
		James Carr Jr.	3.5	21,903
		Alyssia Hammond	3.4	21,005
		Marcus Williams	2.8	17,446
		Constance Johnson	2.0	12,500
		Everette Newton	1.6	10,043
		Chrelle Booker	1.6	9,937
		Brendan K. Maginnis	1.1	7,044
		Robert Colon	1.1	6,904
		Greg Antoine	0.8	5,179
		Tobias LaGrone	0.8	5,048

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 618,775
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jenna Hamrick (D)
• Richard Watkins (D)
• Keith Davenport (D)
• Erica Smith (D)
• Jeff Jackson (D)
• Ava Edwards (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ted Budd	58.6	448,128
		Pat McCrory	24.6	188,135
		Mark Walker	9.2	70,486
		Marjorie K. Eastman	2.9	22,535
	Submit photo	David Flaherty	1.0	7,265
		Kenneth Harper Jr.	0.9	7,129
		Jennifer Banwart	0.4	3,088
	Submit photo	Charles Moss	0.4	2,920
		Leonard L. Bryant	0.4	2,906
		Benjamin Griffiths	0.4	2,870
		Debora Tshiovo	0.4	2,741
		Lee Brian	0.3	2,232
		Lichia Sibhatu	0.3	2,191
	Submit photo	Drew Bulecza	0.3	2,022

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 764,648
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Rene Borghese (R)
• James Gaghan (R)
• Carlton Ellerby (R)
• Marty Cooke (R)
• Jon Warren (R)
• Len McBride (R)

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Shannon Bray advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina.

2020

General election

General election for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Incumbent Thom Tillis defeated Cal Cunningham, Shannon Bray, and Kevin E. Hayes in the general election for U.S. Senate North Carolina on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Thom Tillis (R)	48.7	2,665,598
		Cal Cunningham (D)	46.9	2,569,965
		Shannon Bray (L)	3.1	171,571
		Kevin E. Hayes (Constitution Party)	1.2	67,818

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,474,952
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jeremy Thomas (Independence Party)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Cal Cunningham defeated Erica Smith, Trevor Fuller, Steve Swenson, and Atul Goel in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cal Cunningham	56.9	717,941
		Erica Smith	34.8	438,969
	Submit photo	Trevor Fuller	3.8	48,168
	Submit photo	Steve Swenson	2.7	33,741
		Atul Goel	1.8	22,226

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,261,045
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Steve Williams (D)
• Eva Lee (D)
• Eric Mansfield (D)
• Katherine Bell-Moore (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Incumbent Thom Tillis defeated Paul Wright, Larry Holmquist, and Sharon Hudson in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Thom Tillis	78.1	608,943
		Paul Wright	7.6	58,908
		Larry Holmquist	7.4	57,356
		Sharon Hudson	7.0	54,651

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 779,858
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Sandy Smith (R)
• Garland Tucker III (R)

Constitution primary election

The Constitution primary election was canceled. Kevin E. Hayes advanced from the Constitution primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina.

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Shannon Bray advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina.

2016

U.S. Senate, North Carolina General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Richard Burr Incumbent	51.1%	2,395,376
	Democratic	Deborah Ross	45.4%	2,128,165
	Libertarian	Sean Haugh	3.6%	167,592
Total Votes				4,691,133
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

Election analysis

This section will contain facts and figures related to this state's elections when those are available.

See also

North Carolina	2026 primaries	2026 U.S. Congress elections
North Carolina congressional delegation Voting in North Carolina North Carolina elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018	Democratic primary battlegrounds Republican primary battlegrounds U.S. Senate Democratic primaries U.S. Senate Republican primaries U.S. House Democratic primaries U.S. House Republican primaries	U.S. Congress elections U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

North Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Ted Budd (R)

Thom Tillis (R)

Representatives

District 1

Donald Davis (D)

District 2

Deborah Ross (D)

District 3

Gregory Murphy (R)

District 4

Valerie Foushee (D)

District 5

Virginia Foxx (R)

District 6

Addison McDowell (R)

District 7

David Rouzer (R)

District 8

Mark Harris (R)

District 9

Richard Hudson (R)

District 10

Pat Harrigan (R)

District 11

Chuck Edwards (R)

District 12

Alma Adams (D)

District 13

Brad Knott (R)

District 14

Timothy Moore (R)

Republican Party (12)

Democratic Party (4)

2025-2026 Elections to the United States Congress

Senate by State

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House by State

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Election information

Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Congressional incumbents not running for re-election

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Super PACs/Organizations

American Bridge 21st Century • American Crossroads • American Unity PAC • Campaign for Primary Accountability • Club for Growth Action • Congressional Leadership Fund • Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee• Crossroads Generation • Ending Spending Action Fund • Endorse Liberty • Fair Share Action • FreedomWorks for America • Government Integrity Fund • House Majority PAC • Independence USA Fund • League of Conservation Voters • Liberty for All PAC • Majority PAC • National Association of Realtors • NEA Advocacy Fund • Now or Never PAC • Planned Parenthood Votes • Ready for Hillary • Republicans for a Prosperous America • Restore America's Voice PAC • SEIU Pea-Federal • Women Vote!

Ballotpedia

About

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Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

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Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Victoria Edwards • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox