Oncast News · News Tonight

Democrats Flip North Carolina Senate

Nov 4, 2026, 1:37 AM UTC · Fact-checked before it aired. Unconfirmed claims from this segment are not shown.

The Associated Press also called the race for Democrat Roy Cooper, a former two-term North Carolina governor, over Republican Michael Whatley. That flips the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Thom Tillis. [wcnc.com](https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/elections/north-carolina-us-senate-race-election-results/507-c4eaf62e-813f-4cd4-8a2e-30ebdef20b24)

The AP is reporting Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, a Republican-held seat flipped to Democrats. [apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-senate-roy-cooper-michael-whatley-6cc139bf37efe41050796457d3d57b74)

Chris Pappas defeated Republican John Sununu for New Hampshire's U.S. Senate seat, and multiple outlets report he is the first openly gay man elected to the Senate. The Guardian also reports the win. [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/new-hampshire-senate-chris-pappas-john-sununu)

CNN projected that Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas won New Hampshire's open Senate seat and would be the first out gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.

The New York Times reports Chris Pappas won the New Hampshire Senate race, an important Democratic hold.

CNN projects Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, has defeated Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity to win reelection in Pennsylvania.

The Guardian reported that Jon Ossoff won re-election in Georgia, Democratic senators from Georgia and Virginia won re-election, and House Democrats prevailed in districts redrawn to favor Republicans. [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/nov/03/midterm-election-results-live-updates)

The Guardian reported that Chris Pappas won New Hampshire's U.S. Senate race, avoiding a Republican flip. [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/new-hampshire-senate-chris-pappas-john-sununu)

The Guardian reported that Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff defeated Republican Mike Collins for re-election. [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03

Fact-check

VERIFIED TRUE

BREAKING: Democrat Roy Cooper wins North Carolina Senate race, taking it from Republicans https://t.co/XUuk8SFn7q
Original post · BNO News (@BNONews)

AP NAMES: Roy Cooper = former Democratic governor of North Carolina; Michael Whatley = former Republican National Committee chair and ex-North Carolina GOP chai

VERIFIED TRUE

Democrat Roy Cooper defeats Michael Whatley in North Carolina, flipping a Republican-held Senate seat. https://t.co/szC4uBdNpC https://t.co/CDDN7G2OBS
Original post · The Associated Press (@AP)

AP NAMES: Roy Cooper = former North Carolina Democratic governor; Michael Whatley = former RNC chair.

VERIFIED TRUE

Chris Pappas defeats John Sununu in New Hampshire U.S. Senate race, becoming the first openly gay male senator. https://t.co/szC4uBdNpC https://t.co/lPKtgRRG3z
Original post · The Associated Press (@AP)

AP / Guardian NAMES: Chris Pappas = Democratic U.S. representative from New Hampshire; John Sununu = former Republican U.S. senator from New Hampshire.

VERIFIED TRUE

CNN projected that Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas won New Hampshire's open Senate seat and would be the first out gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.

Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas will win New Hampshire's open Senate seat, CNN projects, making history as the first out gay man to be elected to the chamber. Follow live updates. https://t.co/VdWAIOr15i https://t.co/6IKmLafLM1
Original post · @CNN

CNN NAMES: Chris Pappas = Democratic congressman from New Hampshire.

VERIFIED TRUE

The New York Times reports Chris Pappas won the New Hampshire Senate race, an important Democratic hold.

Breaking News: Representative Chris Pappas has won a critical race for Democrats in New Hampshire, becoming the first openly gay man to win a U.S. Senate seat. https://t.co/noaBhIOyrT
Original post · The New York Times (@nytimes)

The New York Times NAMES: Chris Pappas = Democratic congressman from New Hampshire.

VERIFIED TRUE

CNN projects Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, has defeated Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity to win reelection in Pennsylvania.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro will win reelection in Pennsylvania, CNN projects, defeating Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity. Election Night in America coverage is live now on CNN and streaming with an All Access subscription. https://t.co/fPlHyilDRt
Original post · @CNN

CNN NAMES: Josh Shapiro = Democratic governor of Pennsylvania; Stacy Garrity = Republican state treasurer of Pennsylvania.

VERIFIED TRUE

US midterm elections 2026 live updates: Ossoff wins re-election in Georgia; Florida Democrats survive redistricting efforts - Democratic US senators from Georgia and Virginia win re-election; tight Florida races for US Senate and governor as House Democrats prevail in districts r
Original post · The Guardian

The Guardian NAMES: Jon Ossoff = Democratic U.S. senator from Georgia.

VERIFIED TRUE

Democrat Chris Pappas wins New Hampshire Senate race, avoiding Republican flip - Pappas focused campaign against Republican John Sununu on serving as a bulwark against Trump administration US midterm elections – live updates Track live results from all 50 states Chris Pappas, the
Original post · The Guardian

The Guardian NAMES: Chris Pappas = Democratic congressman from New Hampshire; John Sununu = former Republican U.S. senator from New Hampshire.

VERIFIED TRUE

The Guardian reported that Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff defeated Republican Mike Collins for re-election. [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/jon-ossoff-mike-collins-georgia-senate)

Jon Ossoff wins Georgia Senate race over Republican Mike Collins - Rising Democratic star made his re-election campaign a referendum on the Trump administration’s misdeeds US midterm elections – live updates Track live results from all 50 states Jon Ossoff has been re-elected to
Original post · The Guardian

The Guardian NAMES: Jon Ossoff = Democratic U.S. senator from Georgia; Mike Collins = Republican U.S. House member and Senate challenger.

Sources

What the hosts said

BRoy Cooper just flipped North Carolina's Senate seat.

BThat's a Republican-held seat gone.

BBNO News on X and the Associated Press both call it. Cooper beat Michael Whatley.

BWhatley's not exactly a nobody. He ran the Republican National Committee.

BExactly. He was Trump's pick to run the party.

BAnd Cooper won in a state Trump carried twice.

BThat might say more about Whatley than about Trump.

BCome on. You can't just wave away a flip in North Carolina.

BI'm not waving it away. Cooper's a former two-term governor.

BWhich is exactly why this is a warning sign for the GOP.

BHow? They lost to the best-known Democrat in the state.

BBecause the party still couldn't sell its message in a state it should hold.

BIf you run a party operative instead of a campaigner, that's a candidate problem.

BThat's too convenient. A loss is a loss.

BOne Senate race doesn't decide whether this is a wave.

BNo, but look at New Hampshire too.

BNew Hampshire was never a sure flip for Republicans.

BChris Pappas just won it. The AP says he's the first openly gay man elected to the Senate.

BThat's a real milestone, no question.

BHe beat John Sununu, a former senator with a famous name in that state.

BSununu was the GOP's best shot to take that seat back.

BAnd he still lost. That makes two Democratic wins in swing territory.

BNorth Carolina was a flip. New Hampshire was a hold.

BYou keep splitting hairs instead of seeing the pattern.

BI'm being honest about what the results actually tell us.

BThey tell me Democrats are not collapsing the way some people predicted.

BThat's not saying much. Expectations were already low.

BBut winning North Carolina and holding New Hampshire changes the Senate math.

BIt helps them, sure. But two races don't make a national referendum.

BThen what about Pennsylvania?

BCNN projects Josh Shapiro won reelection. He beat Stacy Garrity.

BHe ran as a moderate and won comfortably. That's a model for his party.

BCareful. A governor winning a state he already runs is not a revolution.

BIt's part of the same story: swing-state voters broke for Democrats.

BNorth Carolina and New Hampshire, fine. Pennsylvania was never really in doubt.

BVirginia, now North Carolina, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania—do I need to keep going?

BWarner was supposed to win. That's not a wave either.

BBut when the expected plus the surprise all go one way, call it whatever you want.

BI'll grant you this: if Democrats hold the rest of the battlegrounds, it's a very good night for them.

BAnd it already is. Roy Cooper's win is the cleanest evidence.

BIt's one seat with a famous candidate. Let's see what the West and Midwest say.

BFine. But don't tell me it's nothing.

BI'm not saying nothing. I'm saying it's too early to call it a wave.

BAnd I'm saying a flip in North Carolina is exactly the kind of result that shifts a midterm.

BThen we agree to disagree on how big it is.

BFor now. Let's check back in an hour.

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