2020 United States Senate election in North Carolina
The 2020 United States Senate election in North Carolina will be held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of North Carolina, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. North Carolina is one of just five states holding presidential, gubernatorial, and senatorial elections concurrently in 2020. On March 3, 2020, incumbent Thom Tillis and former State Senator Cal Cunningham won their respective parties' primaries.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Thom Tillis, incumbent U.S. Senator
Eliminated in primary
- Larry Holmquist, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
- Sharon Hudson, activist
- Paul Wright, former North Carolina Superior Court judge, perennial candidate, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
Withdrawn
- Sandy Smith, farm owner
- Garland Tucker, former CEO and chairman of Triangle Capital
Declined
- Mark Meadows, former U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 11th congressional district
- Ted Budd, incumbent U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 13th congressional district
- Mark Walker, incumbent U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 6th congressional district
Endorsements
Polling
;with Mark Walker| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Sandy Smith | Thom Tillis | Garland Tucker | Mark Walker | Undecided |
| May 19–21, 2019 | 502 | ± 4.5% | 2% | 40% | 11% | 17% | 30% | |
| May 19–21, 2019 | 502 | ± 4.5% | 2% | 18% | 8% | 56% | 16% |
;with only Thom Tillis and Mark Walker
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Thom Tillis | Mark Walker | Undecided |
| May 19–21, 2019 | 502 | ± 4.5% | 43% | 34% | 23% | |
| May 19–21, 2019 | 502 | ± 4.5% | 28% | 64% | 8% | |
| May 19–21, 2019 | 502 | ± 4.5% | 21% | 69% | 10% |
;with Thom Tillis and Generic Republican
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Thom Tillis | Generic Republican | Undecided |
| May 19–21, 2019 | 502 | ± 4.5% | 17% | 18% | 52% | |
| May 19–21, 2019 | 502 | ± 4.5% | 7% | 32% | 57% |
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Cal Cunningham, former state senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010
Eliminated in primary
- Trevor Fuller, Mecklenburg County commissioner
- Atul Goel, physician and retired United States Air Force officer
- Erica D. Smith, state senator
- Steve Swenson
Withdrawn
- Katherine Bell-Moore
- Eva F. Lee, attorney
- Eric L. Mansfield, former state senator
- Steve Williams
Declined
- Janet Cowell, former North Carolina State Treasurer
- Anthony Foxx, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and former mayor of Charlotte
- Rachel Hunt, state representative
- Jeff Jackson, state senator
- Vi Lyles, mayor of Charlotte
- Dan McCready, former U.S. Marine, businessman, and nominee for North Carolina's 9th congressional district in 2018 and 2019 special election
- Richard H. Moore, former North Carolina State Treasurer
- Deborah K. Ross, former state representative and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2016
- Thomas W. Ross, former president of the University of North Carolina system
- Josh Stein, North Carolina Attorney General
- Brian Turner, state representative
Endorsements
Polling
Results
Other candidates
Libertarian Party
Nominee
- Shannon Bray, U.S. Navy veteran, author, and candidate for North Carolina's 3rd congressional district in 2019
Constitution Party
Nominee
- Kevin E. Hayes, candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2012 and 2018
Independence Party
Withdrawn
- Jeremy Thomas
General election
Predictions
Endorsements
Fundraising
In the first quarter of 2020, Cunningham outraised Tillis for the first time, receiving $4.4 million compared to the $2.1 million Tillis raised. Tillis's prior fundraising, however, left him with the advantage in cash on hand, with $6.5 million in the bank, compared to Cunningham’s $3 million.Polling
Aggregate polls
Tillis vs. Cunningham
;with Erica D. Smith| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Thom Tillis | Erica D. Smith | Undecided |
| September 29 – October 7, 2019 | 996 | ± 3% | 33% | 34% | 17% | |
| May 31 – June 3, 2019 | 932 | ± 3.1% | 39% | 46% | 15% |
;with Generic Democrat
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Thom Tillis | Generic Democrat | Undecided |
| June 30 – July 1, 2017 | 1,102 | ± 3.6% | 44% | 48% | 8% |
;with Thom Tillis and Generic Opponent
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Thom Tillis | Generic Opponent | Other | Undecided |
| July 29–31, 2019 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 26% | 52% | 3% | 19% |
;with Generic Republican and Generic Democrat
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Generic Republican | Generic Democrat | Other/Undecided |
| May 26–28, 2020 | 500 | ± 4.38% | 43% | 40% | 17% | |
| April 5–7, 2020 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 41% | 42% | 17% | |
| Released March 17, 2020 | – | – | 44% | 41% | 15% | |
| Released October 17, 2019 | – | – | 40% | 41% | 20% | |
| Released September 11, 2019 | – | – | 37% | 42% | 21% | |
| Released August 4, 2019 | – | – | 39% | 37% | 24% | |
| July 29–31, 2019 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 44% | 44% | 11% | |
| Released June 10, 2019 | – | – | 38% | 38% | 24% | |
| Released May 5, 2019 | – | – | 39% | 39% | 22% | |
| Released March 17, 2019 | – | – | 37% | 40% | 22% | |
| Released February 13, 2019 | – | – | 37% | 38% | 25% |