In his first public event after news of his impending Senate campaign broke, former Governor Roy Cooper asked everyone in the audience planning to run for office in 2026 to please stand for a round of applause.

North Carolina will be at the center of the 2026 midterm elections, with a marquee U.S. Senate race that’s expected to attract big names given the high stakes for the balance of power in the federal government.

The campaign for the open seat will be one of the biggest of 2026, after the incumbent Republican, Senator Thom Tillis, announced his retirement.