In Other News · United States · Politics

Source: Axios

Democrat Roy Cooper has defeated President Trump's handpicked candidate, Michael Whatley, flipping one of North Carolina's two GOP-held U.S. Senate seats.Why it matters: Cooper, the popular two-term governor, delivered Democrats one of their best shots at flipping a Republican-held Senate seat. Even in a state that voted all three times for Trump, Cooper has never lost an election.The big picture: While the race was originally expected to be tight and expensive, Cooper consistently widened his polling lead throughout campaign season. His name recognition boosted his chances against Whatley, a lawyer who served as Republican National Committee chair but had never run for office himself.As enthusiasm lagged behind Whatley, GOP-aligned super PACs canceled their ads and redirected spending to more promising states, even as Trump still campaigned for Whatley in North Carolina.Catch up quick: Cooper will succeed Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who decided not to seek reelection after clashing with Trump over the "big, beautiful bill" and its associated Medicaid cuts.Trump had threatened to back a primary challenger against Tillis.On the trail: Cooper focused his campaign on affordability, blaming Republicans for high gas prices and tying GOP policies to inflation.Meanwhile, Whatley centered his platform on helping execute the Trump agenda, despite...