Thom Tillis

In the 2020 Senate race for NC Senate seat, Thomas Roland Tillis (R) won with 48.7% of the vote, defeating Cal Cunningham (D) who received 46.9%. 2 additional candidates split the remaining vote. The 1.8-point margin made this one of the more competitive races of the cycle.

This was an open-seat race with no incumbent running — Richard Burr (R) previously held the seat. Open seats typically attract stronger candidates and heavier spending from both parties. The 2020 presidential election drove higher voter turnout, which can help or hurt down-ballot candidates depending on the top of the ticket. Given the narrow margin, this seat is likely to remain competitive and attract heavy investment in the next cycle.

In the 2014 Senate race for NC Senate seat, Thom Tillis (R) won with 48.8% of the vote, defeating Kay R. Hagan (D) who received 47.3%. A third candidate also appeared on the ballot. The 1.6-point margin made this one of the more competitive races of the cycle.

This was an open-seat race. Open seats typically attract stronger candidates and heavier spending from both parties. As a Republican, Thom Tillis benefited from the historical midterm penalty against the president's party — with a Democrat in the White House, the opposition typically gains seats.