Elections Intelligence

North Carolina U.S. Senate

OPEN SEATLikely D

Thom Tillis (R) has held this seat since 2015 and is not running. Before that: Kay R. Hagan (D).

Roy Cooper Open-seat nominee
95.8¢
Party market · checked 2:09 PM ETView on Kalshi ↗
5.2¢
Michael Whatley Open-seat nominee

FTP Race Signal

FTP Race SignalA composite of market, polling and money. The prediction-market price anchors it; a polling average moves it: the last 30 days, or the three most recent pollsters when fewer polled. Polls paid for by a candidate, party or allied group move 2 points toward the other side and count half. When the three most recent independent pollsters each have the race within three points, it is a Toss-up unless the market is already decisive. Fundraising counts only at a five-to-one gap. Past results are context, not inputs. A rating changes only when the evidence clears the line.

A seat that went Republican by 2 points in 2020 is now priced for the Democrat.

Likely D
Safe DLikely DLean DToss-upLean RLikely RSafe R
Market · Safe DD 95.8¢: traders' price for a Democratic win, a flip from Republican. Polling · Lean DD+8.7 (average of 11 pollsters, Oct 8). Prior result · Toss-upR+1.75 in 2020.

Market and polls both favor Cooper.

As of October 12.

Market

BandPRICEToss-up50¢ to 65¢Lean65¢ to 82¢Likely82¢ to 95¢Safe95¢ and above
D 95.8¢

Kalshi party market · checked 2:09 PM ET

View market on Kalshi ↗

Polling

BandPOINTSToss-up0 to 5Lean5 to 10Likely10 to 20Safe20 and above
D+8.7
Trafalgar Group ↗ C+ Oct 6 to 8 · n=1,091 LV D+7.9 Independent
East Carolina Univ. ↗ B+ Sep 30 to Oct 3 · n=810 LV D+7 Independent
Big Data Poll ↗ C+ Sep 27 to 29 · n=642 LV D+11 Independent
Rasmussen ↗ Sep 22 to Sep 22 · n=1,047 LV D+7 Independent
Quantus ↗ B- Sep 21 to 22 · n=688 LV D+5.1 Independent
Opinion Diagnostics ↗ Sep 17 to 20 · n=857 LV D+8 Independent
Fabrizio ↗ A- Sep 17 to 20 · n=1,115 LV D+11 Independent
YouGov ↗ B+ Sep 15 to 18 · n=3,742 LV D+11 Independent
InsiderAdvantage ↗ B+ Sep 16 to 17 · n=1,200 LV D+5 Independent
High Point University ↗ B- Sep 9 to 16 · n=706 LV D+8 Independent
Harper Polling ↗ B+ Sep 13 to 15 · n=608 LV D+15 Independent

Average of the latest poll from each of 11 pollsters in the last 30 days.

Earlier polls · 19
YouGov ↗ B+ Sep 4 to 15 · n=885 LV D+11.2 Independent
Trafalgar Group ↗ C+ Sep 8 to 10 · n=1,084 LV D+5.9 Independent
East Carolina University ↗ B+ Aug 31 to Sep 3 · n=675 LV D+7.2 Independent
YouGov ↗ B+ Aug 21 to 31 · n=565 LV D+11 Elon University sponsor
High Point University ↗ B- Aug 14 to 18 · n=1,119 LV D+5 Independent
Harper Polling ↗ B+ Aug 9 to 10 · n=600 LV D+12.5 Independent
Change Research ↗ C- Aug 3 to 6 · n=915 LV D+7 D sponsor D+7 · D sponsor · counts as D+5 at half weight
Change Research ↗ C- Jul 29 to Aug 1 · n=967 LV D+9 Independent
YouGov ↗ B+ Jul 23 to 31 · n=466 LV D+11 Elon University sponsor
Fox News/Beacon ↗ A Jul 23 to 27 · n=1,005 RV D+9 Independent
Beacon Research / Shaw & Company Research ↗ Jul 29 · n=1,005 RV D+9 Fox News sponsor
Public Policy Polling ↗ Jul 13 · n=759 RV D+4 Independent
PPP ↗ B Jul 9 to 10 · n=759 voters D+4 D-leaning firm
NYT/Siena ↗ A+ Jun 15 to 27 · n=601 LV D+7 Independent
YouGov ↗ B+ Jun 1 to 4 · n=905 LV D+13.7 Independent
Harper Polling ↗ B+ May 10 to 11 · n=600 LV D+11 Independent
Change Research ↗ C- May 4 to 8 · n=957 LV D+7 D sponsor D+7 · D sponsor · counts as D+5 at half weight
Opinion Diagnostics ↗ Apr 21 to 24 · n=830 voters D+9 Independent
High Point University Survey Research Center ↗ Apr 16 · n=703 LV D+8 Independent

Prior result

BandPOINTSToss-up0 to 5Lean5 to 12Likely12 to 25Safe25 and above
R+1.8

Thom Tillis (R)

48.7% to 46.9% · 2020 general election

def. Cal Cunningham (D). Margin verified against retrieved official results.

Fundraising

BandRATIO TO 1Parity1 to 5Lean5 and above
3.1 to 1

Raised 2025 to 2026 · thru Jun 30

Roy Cooper$34.98M ↗$20.72M cash
Michael Whatley$11.27M ↗$3.46M cash

Total receipts in the 2025 to 2026 two-year cycle, through June 30, 2026; Cooper leads 3.1 to 1, short of the 5 to 1 at which fundraising takes a place on the spectrum.

The general election is on November 3, which is 22 days away.