Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley clinch North Carolina Senate nods, setting up high-stakes fall fight

By GARY D. ROBERTSON

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and ex-Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley each won their party’s U.S. Senate nominations in North Carolina on Tuesday, setting the bout for a fall campaign that could determine control of the chamber.

Whatley and Cooper were victorious in their respective primary elections over crowded fields seeking the seat being vacated by Thom Tillis, who chose last June not to seek a third term. The two announced their candidacies weeks later and had been essentially ignoring intraparty rivals and their respective sides, going after each other almost daily.

Cooper’s race entry brought optimism to Democrats aiming to take back the Senate this year with a net gain of four seats. Democrats view the most likely path as winning in North Carolina, Maine, Alaska and Ohio. With Cooper, Democrats have a popular two-term governor who served 24 consecutive years in statewide office.

Whatley,...