Western Carolina University political science professor Chris Cooper analyzes the 2026 primaries

By: Clayton Henkel

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: March 9, 2026

Words: 149

Last Updated: 18 hours, 24 minutes ago

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An especially noteworthy 2026 primary election has come and gone, and there were a lot of important and high-profile outcomes – some expected and some surprising.

Topping the list of predicted results were the outcomes in the Democratic and Republican U.S. Senate primaries, where former Gov. Roy Cooper and GOP party official Michael Whatley cruised to easy wins and are now set for what all expect to be an expensive November showdown.

Interestingly, however, despite …

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