2026 Primary Results

Behind in the vote totals, North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger files four election protests, CMS doesn’t plan to use makeup days for this year’s weather events so far, and Queens University prepares to take on Purdue in the NCAA Tournament.

With the North Carolina primary over and done, get ready for the campaign leading to November. Get ready for a blizzard of advertising, particularly in the race for U.S. Senate. It is likely to be the most expensive Senate race in the country, with about half a billion dollars expected to be spent. In a world where people are entrenched in their ideologies, how do you convincingly use that money?

Primary day has come and gone, locally one message from voters is that they want party loyalty. Surprisingly, the Phil Berger race is separated by two votes. NCDOT plans to pause its plan for elevating new I-77 toll lanes for a few months, and North Carolina U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis lays into now former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

Voting is complete and the results are in, so what did North Carolina’s primaries decide? From key races in Mecklenburg County to consequential contests that could reshape the balance of power in the General Assembly, we break down what the outcomes mean heading into November.