North Carolina kicks off some of first midterm primaries for key Senate and House races

Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley lead polls for their respective primaries for US Senate seatSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe marquee matchup for the open US Senate seat in North Carolina will begin to resolve into focus Tuesday, with a well-known former Democratic governor and a Donald Trump-endorsed but untested Republican appearing to lead the field.In the Democratic primary, former two-term governor Roy Cooper is ahead in recent polling against the slate of other candidates who have never held elected office. Cooper is widely seen among North Carolina’s Democrats as their best chance at flipping a Republican-controlled seat, now held by retiring US senator Thom Tillis, a conservative who has turned hard against the Trump administration on its handling of healthcare, defense and the Epstein file disclosures. Continue reading...