United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2026
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| U.S. Senate, North Carolina |
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| 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. |
| Race ratings |
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 • 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 |
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.[1] 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."[1]
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."[2]
As of Sept. 22, 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.[3][4] 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.[5][6][7]
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 Sept. 16, 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
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. Senate North Carolina
The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. Senate North Carolina on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Roy Cooper (D) | |
| Orrick Quick (D) | ||
 | Brooks Agnew (R) | |
 | Don Brown (R) | |
| Michael Whatley (R) | ||
 | Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)  | |
| ||||
| = 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)
- 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.
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."
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.
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Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
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.
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
-Environmental Regulations -Workplace Safety -Education Funding -Social Security and Welfare -Immigration
-Judicial Nominations
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
Shaunesi Deberry (Unaffiliated Independent)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roy Cooper | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Orrick Quick | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Brooks Agnew | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Don Brown | Republican Party | $69,514 | $26,706 | $43,649 | As of June 30, 2025 |
| Michael Whatley | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| 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." |
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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.[8]
- 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.[9][10][11]
| Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, 2026 | |||||||||
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| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| 9/30/2025 | 9/23/2025 | 9/16/2025 | 9/9/2025 | ||||||
| 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
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 | ||
| 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
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 | |
| 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 | |
| David Flaherty | 1.0 | 7,265 | ||
 | Kenneth Harper Jr. | 0.9 | 7,129 | |
 | Jennifer Banwart | 0.4 | 3,088 | |
| 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 | |
| Drew Bulecza | 0.3 | 2,022 | ||
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Trevor Fuller | 3.8 | 48,168 | ||
| Steve Swenson | 2.7 | 33,741 | ||
 | Atul Goel | 1.8 | 22,226 | |
| 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 | |
| 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
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
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Voting in North Carolina North Carolina elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
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. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Cook Political Report, "With Tillis' Surprise Retirement, North Carolina Senate Moves To Toss Up," June 29, 2025
- ↑ ABC11, "NC Sen. Tillis says he will not be seeking reelection in 2026 after voting against Trump's megabill," June 29, 2025
- ↑ WRAL News, "As Roy Cooper ramps up profile, Jeff Jackson makes US Senate decision in North Carolina," July 8, 2025
- ↑ ABC 11, "Reactions from both sides pour in after Roy Cooper announces he is running for Senate," July 28, 2025
- ↑ Politico, "Hudson rules out bid to replace Tillis," July 1, 2025
- ↑ NC Newsline, "North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race is open. Who’s running, who’s not and who could jump in," June 29, 2025
- ↑ X, "Lara Trump on July 24, 2025," accessed July 24, 2025
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
