U.S. Senate elections in North Carolina
● In officeThom TillisRepublicanTed BuddRepublican
Elections won
R 14 · D 2539 Senate elections since 1914
Last decided by
3.2 pts2022, Ted Budd over Cheri Beasley
Closest ever
0.58 pts1980, John P. East over Robert Morgan
Longest streak
21 in a rowDemocratic, 1914–1968
Next election
2026Tuesday, November 3, 2026
North Carolina's U.S. Senate seats are held by Republican Thom Tillis and Republican Ted Budd; Budd won the most recent race by 3.2 points in 2022. Tillis has held one seat since 2014 and Budd the other since 2022. The 2022 race put Budd ahead of Cheri Beasley, 3.2 points clear. Across 39 elections since 1914, Republicans have won 14 and Democrats 25. Of those, the closest was 1980, decided by 0.58 points; the widest 1948, by 41.9 points.
Ted Budd R 1,905,786 · Cheri Beasley D 1,784,049 · Shannon W. Bray L 51,640 · Matthew Hoh G 29,934 · +1 more
Thom Tillis R 2,665,598 · Cal Cunningham D 2,569,965 · Shannon W. Bray L 171,571 · Kevin E. Hayes C 67,818
Jesse Helms R 1,345,833 · Harvey B. Gantt D 1,173,875 · Ray Ubinger L 25,396 · J. Victor Pardo N 11,209
Lauch Faircloth R 1,297,892 · Terry Sanford D 1,194,015 · Bobby Yates Emory L 85,948 · Bruce Kimball S 23 · +1 more
Jesse Helms R 1,087,331 · Harvey B. Gantt D 981,573
Terry Sanford D 780,967 · James T. Broyhill R 753,881
Jesse Helms R 1,156,768 · James B. Hunt Jr. D 1,070,488 · Bobby Yates Emory L 9,302 · Kate Daher S 2,493
Jesse Helms R 619,151 · John Randolph Ingram D 516,663
Jesse Helms R 795,248 · Nick Galifianakis D 677,293
Samuel J. Ervin D 870,406 · Robert Somers V R 566,934
B. Everett Jordan D 501,440 · John S. Shallcross R 400,502
Samuel J. Ervin D 491,520 · Claude L. Greene R 321,635
B. Everett Jordan D 793,521 · Johnson J. Hayes R 497,964
B. Everett Jordan D 431,492 · Richard C. Clarke Jr. R 184,977
Samuel J. Ervin D 731,353 · Joel A. Johnson R 367,475
W. Kerr Scott D 408,312 · Paul C. West R 211,322
Willis Smith D 364,912 · E. L. Galvin R 177,753
Clyde R. Hoey D 376,473 · Halsey B. Leavitt R 171,804
Clyde R. Hoey D 533,813 · A. I. Ferree R 226,037
Josiah W. Bailey D 230,427 · Sam J. Morris R 119,165
Robert R. Reynolds D 316,685 · Charles A. Jonas R 179,650
Josiah W. Bailey D 563,968 · Frank C. Patton R 233,009
Robert R. Reynolds D 484,048 · Jake F. Newell R 221,534
Josiah W. Bailey D 324,393 · George M. Pritchard R 210,761
Less S. Overman D 218,934 · Johnson J. Hayes R 142,891
Furnifold M. Simmons D 295,404 · A. A. Whitener R 184,393
Less S. Overman D 310,504 · A. E. Holron R 229,343
Furnifold M. Simmons D 143,519 · John M. Morehead R 93,707