US Midterms: Democrat Roy Cooper Flips First Senate Seat in North Carolina
In the US midterm elections for Congress, Democrat Roy Cooper, a former North Carolina governor, defeated Republican Michael Whatley and flipped a Senate seat. Democrats need to gain at least four Republican-held seats to win a majority.
Democrat Roy Cooper, a former governor of North Carolina, has won the state's US Senate race in the midterm elections, defeating Republican Michael Whatley. The result hands Democrats the first Senate seat they have taken from Republicans in this election.
Democrats are trying to regain majorities in Congress and end the Republican Party's unified control of power in Washington. To do so in the Senate, they must gain at least four seats currently held by Republicans. Cooper's win is described as a key victory toward that goal.
Developments before election day
A notable defection from within Democratic ranks disrupted the Senate race in Michigan. Representative Haley Stevens backed Republican candidate Mike Rogers rather than the Democratic nominee, Abdul Al-Sayed, who defeated her in the party primary.
US President Donald Trump, who is 80, tried to rally Republican supporters against a predicted Democratic win in the midterms. He chose Washington's Reflecting Pool as the backdrop, a landmark whose botched renovation has come to symbolise what the source describes as the chaos of his second term.
Separately, the US Supreme Court rejected an effort to have California set aside 20,000 mail ballots. President Trump's administration claims the ballots come from people who are not citizens.
Results are still coming in, and the outcome of the remaining Senate contests will determine whether Democrats can reach their goal.
