Elections 2026: Charlotte Republican primary guide
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Former chairperson of the Republican National Committee Michael Whatley is running for U.S. Senate. Photo: Olivier Touron/AFP via Getty Images
Voters in the Republican primary will only have a few decisions to make, but none is insignificant in a county with shrinking red representation.
Why it matters: Republicans will want strong candidates to advance to the general to heighten their party's chances of electoral success in Democrat-controlled Charlotte.
- Voters will choose a nominee to run for U.S. Senate, for example. The race could determine which party controls the Senate.
How it works: Early voting is Feb. 12 through Feb. 28. Voters will cast ballots in their respective parties. During early voting, you can vote at any of the early sites in your county and register to vote while you're there if you aren't already. Find locations and times here.
- Primary Election Day, the last opportunity to vote, is Tuesday, March 3. On this day only, registered voters must go to their assigned polling place.
- Check your registration and find your sample ballot here.
- Bring your photo ID. A North Carolina driver's license or another form listed here is acceptable.
- The winning candidates will advance to the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
This guide may be updated as new information about candidates becomes available. Note that an emoji next to a candidate's name indicates they're an incumbent.
U.S. Senate
State of play: Sen. Thom Tillis is not seeking reelection, leaving his seat wide open. The Republican nominee in this race will likely face former Gov. Roy Cooper, the frontrunner on the Democratic side, in the general.
- Michael Whatley, the former chair of the Republican National Committee, previously led the North Carolina GOP.
- Michele Morrow ran a heated race for North Carolina superintendent after upsetting Catherine Truitt in a shocking primary win. She ultimately lost in the general to Mo Green.
- Morrow attended the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and once remarked that former President Obama should face a firing squad. She later claimed it was a "joke."
- Elizabeth Temple is a former substitute teacher from Smithfield who was accused in 2019 of making offensive comments to elementary school students. Then she attempted to publicly defend herself at a Wake County school board meeting, as WRAL reported.
- Don Brown is an author of military books, a former Navy JAG officer and attorney who represented participants in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, according to his campaign website. He previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress.
- Brown said he intended to run against Tillis after learning the senator tried to stop Pete Hegseth's nomination as the nation's secretary of defense. (Tillis ultimately voted to confirm Hegseth.)
- Thomas Johnson's website refers to him as an evangelical Christian, with a "bold vision to address [the] fatherless crisis" in North Carolina.
- Richard Dansie's slogan is "Courage Over Socialism."
- Margot Dupre is on the ballot, but she was disqualified after the State Board of Elections ruled that Dupre could not prove her primary residence is in North Carolina. If she wins, the Republican Party will choose a replacement.
U.S. House of Representatives
District 12
State of play: Democratic Rep. Alma Adams currently sits in this seat and is seeking a sixth term.
- Jack Codiga is a finance professional who wants to require voter ID in all states, limit immigration work visas and end all welfare programs, including "the godfather of all Ponzi schemes (Social Security)."
- Addul Ali rivaled Adams in the 2024 general. He founded the NC GOP's Black Conservative Voices Coalition and co-hosts a conservative podcast.
District 14
- 🏛️ Tim Moore, North Carolina's former House speaker for a decade, was elected to this newly created district in 2024 after a series of controversies. Moore serves on the House Committees on Financial Services and the Budget.
- Kate Barr changed her party affiliation to run as a Republican. She ran for the state House in 2024 with the slogan "Kate Barr Can't Win," in a protest of gerrymandering. This time, her campaign slogan is "Kate Barr Can Win."
N.C. House of Representatives
District 105
State of play: The winner of this primary will face Ken McCool, a former Matthews commissioner, in the general election. McCool faces no opposition on the blue ballot.
- 🏛️ Tricia Cotham switched parties in 2023 from Democrat to Republican and provided the one more vote needed to strengthen abortion restrictions. This will be one of the state's most closely watched races. Some Democrats are determined to take back the seat.
- In 2025, Cotham sponsored the Mecklenburg County transportation sales tax bill. Her support was instrumental in moving the plan forward after years of sluggish progress.
- Kelly Van Horn, a teacher, has a history of voting in Democratic primaries. She changed her registration to Republican in September 2025. She told the Charlotte Observer she'd be an independent member of the legislature if elected.
N.C. Court of Appeals Seat 1
State of play: Whoever wins will face the incumbent Judge John Arrowood, who has no challengers in the Democratic primary.
- Matt Smith currently serves as a Superior Court judge.
- Michael Byrne represents law enforcement and public employees in the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings, Superior Court, the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
